Connections Within Dreams
by Puja723
Summary: Sequel to Connections Intertwining. Sora, Levina, and Riku have begun taking their Mark of Master exam. A test to prove their worth of being Keyblade Masters soon becomes a test of survival. Each of them must hold onto the light if they wish escape unscathed as the darkness looms and threatens growing stronger manifesting into the force known as Master Xehanort.
1. Where It All Began

**I have been waiting so long to write this story! Ever since I started my Kingdom Hearts stories, I was really eager to begin Dream Drop Distance. **

**I hope you guys enjoy the wild ride and are strapped in for awesome plot twists and reveals. **

**Enjoy the first chapter :D  
**

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square-Enix and Disney**

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**Connections Within Dreams**

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Chapter 1: Where It All Began

In the Mysterious Tower, Mickey stood before his teacher, the great sorcerer Yen Sid. That tower was the place where Mickey had once undertaken his training to become a Keyblade Master, and it was also a place Sora had visited before his battle with Xemnas. And, it was also a place that Terra, Aqua, and Ventus had once visited.

Two journeys had been completed, and connecting the memories from them had been another journey that was now over.

However, Yen Sid's expression was somber.

"Master Yen Sid. I think we've finally almost figured out where Ven's heart is." Mickey

"Have you now…?" Yen Sid questioned stroking his beard deep in thought So now it's just Terra left."

The aging noble wizard was about to say more when the door opened. Mickey and Yen Sid saw a teenage boy. His messy brown hair seemed to be filled with sweat and his blue eyes were heavy from exhaustion. The boy wore an orange tunic with a white undershirt, green pants, and long brown boots. He had a small mage hat. The boy dropped his mace to the ground sinking to his knees.

Mickey quickly rushed over to the tired boy helping him to his feet. "Gosh, are you alright?" He asked.

"Hiko…" Yen Sid addressed the tired boy. Hiko was brought to Yen Sid years ago by King Mickey. He frowned. "I trust your venture through the Realm of Darkness did not go well."

The boy named Hiko shook his head. "No Master…," Hiko replied with a small frown.

"The Realm of Darkness?" Mickey asked curiously. "Gosh what were ya trying to do there all by yourself?"

"My test…" Hiko murmured. "Master Yen Sid gave me a task to do. To find the Realm of Darkness, your majesty." He said. "I was eager to finally speak with you. Master Yen Sid wanted me to aid you in your quest. To help find your missing friends."

"Yes, and we can help all three of them for sure." Mickey said firmly.

"Next is working out how Xehanort will appear, isn't it." Yen Sid thought out loud.

The name already felt somewhat nostalgic to hear, to Mickey. He titled his head. "Xehanort? He split into Ansem, who commanded the Heartless, and Xemnas, who commanded the Nobodies, and didn't Sora and his friends defeat both of them?"

The battle was supposed to be already over. However, Yen Sid closed his eyes and got up to stand by the window.

"Yes, those two were certainly destroyed," Yen Sid explained. "However, the fact that those two were destroyed means that their original form, Xehanort, will revive."

Mickey's breath caught. "What?"

"If the heart is released from the Heartless trapping it, and the body that has become a Nobody is destroyed, the two will become one once more. In the end, that means Master Xehanort will return."

Master Xehanort. That was the name of the man who had once tried to spread darkness throughout the worlds.

Hiko listened intently to his teacher. Whoever this Xehanort person was he seemed to be really dangerous.

"So, you think he will try to start something again?" Mickey asked urgently

"Xehanort was a man of many plans." Yen Sid replied.

"But, if another crisis comes, Sora and I are here, and Riku too," Mickey told Yen Sid, voice full of confidence. However, Yen Sid turned to Mickey and quietly shook his head.

"They are definitely strong. But Mickey, you are the only Master. What if there were more than one Master Xehanort…?" Yen Sid assumed.

"Huh? What do you mean!?" Mickey explained.

Yen Sid didn't answer Mickey. He opened his huge eyes. "Mickey, would you call Sora here for me. Levina and Riku, as well." The wizard urged.

"What on earth for!?" Mickey wondered curiously.

"We shall hold a Mark of Mastery Exam." Yen Sid answered.

Thus begins a new battle—and a tale that will connect the future and the past.

* * *

Sora stood next to Riku, Levina stood between the two boys waiting for Yen Sid to start speaking. Sora was feeling a little uncomfortable. He was fine with being called to the Mysterious Tower by a letter from the King, but he'd come all this way and it had been such a long time since he'd seen Donald and Goofy, and the King too, but here he was standing stiffly before Yen Sid. It was so boring. Riku was waiting silently for Yen Sid to start talking too. Maybe he was nervous, or maybe he was lost in thought by himself again.

Levina knew this feeling all too well. It completely mirrored what Aqua and Terra went through when they were taking their Mark of Master exam with Eraqus.

Lira stood beside King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Hiko smiled at the new visitors in the Tower. He hadn't seen this many people since his village years ago.

Hey…" Sora tried to say something to Hiko, but that was the moment Yen Sid chose to finally speak.

Master Xehanort was a genius Keyblade Master." Yen Sid told the three participants of the exam.

At the mention of Master Xehanort's name, Levina squeezed her fists becoming tense. Riku noticed, but said nothing.

Sora thought about the person named Xehanort. '_When the leader of Organization XIII, Xemnas, was human his name was Xehanort. And then Xehanort stole the name of Ansem the Wise and tried to plunge the worlds into darkness,' _He thought. '_But I don't think I've heard of anyone called Master Xehanort. I wonder if Xehanort and Master Xehanort are different people?_ ' If they were, Sora didn't know of a Master Xehanort.

Choosing to leave Sora's doubts aside, Yen Sid continued speaking. "Such rare genius causes troubled thoughts. What is the heart, that which decides even a person's strength? The answer he arrived at was the Keyblade War."

'_Keyblade War…'_ Levina thought. That was something Master Xehanort rambled about in the Keyblade Graveyard. The last place where she was with her friends. The last place when her life changed forever.

'_There's something else I haven't heard of. Keyblade War….,_' Sora thought with a frown. '_Maybe that means people fought a war with keyblades_.' Thinking this was a little strange, Sora continued listening to Yen Sid.

"He intended to seek from the battle of light and darkness of ancient times the essence of the light and darkness within the heart. Over his duties as a Master, he chose the journey of a seeker. On his long journey of searching, he changed form many times, and stood in the way of the Keyblade Wielders who protect the light." Yen Sid informed them.

Sora scratched his head. '_Umm so basically, this Master Xehanort guy was worried about what the heart was, and he tried to find out about the light and darkness inside the heart by starting up some battle between light and darkness called the Keyblade War, is that about right?_' The boy thought getting more confused. '_And then on top of that he changed forms a bunch of times, which means… umm…?'_

Having confused himself, Sora sneaked a look at Riku's face. Riku was listening to Yen Sid with a serious expression. '_Riku probably understands all this…'_ He looked at Levina. He saw the same serious expression on her face just like Riku. '_Why am I always the last to know everything!_'

"However, it is not yet over," Yen Sid told them. "I am afraid that hereon an even greater threat will arise. We must prepare in order to face up to this threat."

'_Seems like this Master Xehanort is going to do a bunch of bad stuff_,' Sora thought in understanding. '_Oh, so they called us so we can face it! I think I get it._'

"So, Sora, Levina, and, Riku, I would like you to take the Keyblade Master's Mark of Mastery Examination."

Riku and Levina were more than ready to take on the exam. Their quiet stature and intense listening to Yen Sid's words were proof of that. Sora on the other hand…

'_A Keyblade Master Exam…!_' Sora thought with glee. At those words, Sora finally snapped up to match everybody else's straight posture. 'The word 'exam' makes me a bit nervous, but surely there's no way they'll test us on math or anything,' He dreaded the thought of doing math homework. '_But, what if they make us study the history of the Keyblade or something? I don't really like the sound of that.' _ He felt something hit his head.

"Ow!" Sora frowned looking back seeing Lira tapping the boy's head with her scythe.

"Pay attention!" Lira scolded the boy.

"Nice to see you back too, Lira…" Sora mumbled.

Lira had left Destiny Islands after the king had sent the letter. She had retreated to Radiant Garden. Her heart was trying to heal over losing Axel, so she decided to rekindle an old flame and to see what was left over with her relationship with Kain.

"Originally, years of training were necessary for one to become a Keyblade wielder," Yen Sid told them. "However, now, we will not hesitate. We must outmaneuver Xehanort and prepare for the coming battle. The Keyblade is something one bears having received tutelage from a Master. However, Riku and Sora, up until now you have wielded in your own style. To become a Keyblade Master, you must learn the correct methods."

'_I never even thought there was a correct way to use the keyblade_,' Sora thought. '_Well, I've been defeating Heartless and Nobodies all along, so I've been using it right. What else could there be to learn?' _Feeling worried, Sora waited for Yen Sid's next words.

"Now the three of you must forget the way you have been wielding the Keyblade so far, and learn again from the beginning." Yen Sid said to them.

"What?!" Lira gasped. "That's absurd! They are more than ready!"

"Gosh Lira," Mickey replied. "Master Yen Sid knows what he's doing. We gotta trust him.

'_Learn from the beginning…!?_'' Sora frowned. '_I've come all this way to be this strong and now I'm meant to go and be weak again!?_'

"I don't have to do that, no one can beat me. Not now that I have everyone by my side! We'll win this together! Right, Riku?"

Sora looked up at the boy by his side. But, Riku's expression was still stiff.

"I…," Riku took a deep breath. "There's still darkness lurking in my heart." Riku made his Way to Dawn keyblade appear in his hand. "I think we need to make sure someone like me, who walked the path of darkness, is worthy of wielding the keyblade."

Levina looked over at Riku. '_I never heard someone talk that way when it came to the darkness._' She thought.

"Riku…" Sora looked down. '_For Riku to be suffering over that…_,' He thought. '_I had no idea he was still thinking that way._'

"We'll take the Mark of Mastery Exam too, of course. Then Riku, Levina, and me will be Keyblade Masters together!" Sora declared, and Riku smiled very faintly. The King, Donald and Goofy all looked at each other as though relieved. Lira rolled her eyes at Sora's over confident nature, while Hiko looked at the people who fought against the darkness many times over.

'_They have so much experience_,' Hiko thought. '_How am I supposed to help them fight this great battle?' _

Yen Sid addressed them."Thus, let Sora's, Levina's, and Riku's Mark of Mastery Examination commence."

* * *

'_I can hear that same old sound, the one that makes me feel good right down in my heart_,' Sora thought. '_The sound of waves… this is Destiny Islands_.'

Sora, Levina, and Riku were on the island. It was also the childhood home of that particular 'someone else'. The man named Xehanort.

Standing by the lapping tide, Sora, Levina and Riku gazed out at the horizon. They were dressed differently than they had been when standing before Yen Sid a moment ago. They had returned to the way they looked about one year ago, when they had departed from this island. Levina's outfit had reverted back to when she was with Terra, Aqua, and Ven. They had even lost what little height they had managed to gain in the past year or so.

It seemed that this was what "forget the way you have been wielding the Keyblade so far, and learn again from the beginning" had meant. Yen Sid had told them a good deal more, but there had been a lot that Sora didn't quite understand.

'_Anyway, if I win the fight then I'll pass the exam… right?_' Sora wondered.

"How far do you think we could go on a raft?" Sora asked Riku, still staring at the horizon.

"I wonder. Well, if it doesn't work out, we'll find another way," Riku said, and he started walking. The raft that they'd made together back then was in front of them.

"You guys made this raft?" Levina asked curiously. "Why?"

"To see what else is out there." Riku answered. '_If there are other worlds out there, then why do we have to be here?_' He thought remembering how he had felt before Destiny Islands was taken by the darkness.

'_That's what Riku said, that day_,' Sora thought. '_I've seen lots of other worlds, and made lots of friends.'_

Unlike Riku, Sora had never wondered why they had to be on their world. But, it seemed that Riku was always thinking about it.

Levina watched Riku get on the raft. '_How is this part of the test?'_ She thought.

Sora chased after Riku and climbed onto the raft. Levina hopped on the raft looking around. There was nothing but ocean for miles. It looked like it was the only way to get to the other worlds.

The sea around Destiny Islands was fundamentally always calm. However, the open seas weren't.

After only about an hour, the skies darkened and the sea began to get rough.

"Riku, a storm's coming," Sora called, a little worried. The wind was now chilly. Thunder began to rumble from the skies.

Levina looked at the darkened skies trembling a little. Something about this storm seemed to be unnatural.

"This doesn't feel right…" Levina told her friends frowning.

"Yeah," Riku agreed. "The waves are getting high, too. Let's fold up the sail," Riku said, moving over to it.

Sora nodded, and as he also went to go over to the sail, a great wind began to blow. The raft's sail billowed out in the wind and the mast snapped off.

"Whoa!" Levina yelled clinging to the raft.

Sora hurriedly held onto Levina clinging to the raft, but Riku went tumbling with the broken mast into the ocean. He narrowly managed to cling to the mast, which saved him from going under.

"Riku!" Sora and Levina screamed.

"…I'm okay!" Riku groaned.

Sora stretched out his hand. However, that moment, the ocean heaved ominously. And then, a sea-swallowing whirlpool formed. A pitch-black hole opened in the center.

"What is that…?" Levina stared at the black abyss that appeared.

"What?" Riku hissed, and in that instant, a huge purple octopus arm thrust out of it at the surface of the water. Then, with a splash, a huge monster—no, Ursula—appeared with a booming laugh. Ursula was a witch from Atlantica who had tried to trick Ariel.

"It's true, you really are here," The sea-witch glared. "How about you let me give you some payback!" Ursula yelled to Sora and Riku, tentacles undulating.

Sora gripped his Keyblade. "Ursula! Is this part of the test!?"

"Sora! We don't have time to wonder!" Riku told him.

The three held their keyblades in their hands.

"I know!" Sora replied. Riku was making his way back to the raft, using Ursula's tentacles as stepping stones.

"Not going to happen this time!" Ursula brought the raft up in her tentacles. Her lough laughter booming with the thunder, Sora, Levina, and Riku attacked.

"Time for a lesson!" Ursula's huge face, five times bigger than Sora's body, began to fire bubbles. However, Sora deflected them with ease.

'_Forgetting how to use the Keyblade doesn't mean forgetting how to fight_,' Sora thought. '_Plus, I have Riku and Levina beside me_.'

"Okay, let's go!" Sora told his friends.

Sora, Levina, and Riku ran across the raft simultaneously, and struck Ursula with all their might. Ursula disappeared with a scream.

However, the instant Ursula had been annihilated, the three were thrown into the sea.

They sank deep below the waves.

Losing awareness, Sora could see a light in the distance.

'_Is that a keyhole…?'_ He thought.

Light beamed from the keyhole as it opened by the keyblades in Sora's, Levina's, and Riku's hands.

The strong light that had shot from the keyhole enveloped their bodies.

A shadowy figure had been watching them.

A man in a brown robe…

"This world has been connected…" Those words were said once before.

Half-asleep, Sora saw the man, but he was already fading out of consciousness.

Sora, Levina, and Riku drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Let the confusing plot of Dream Drop Distance sink in. I really hate the whole time travel plot that was brought in this game. It was very annoying to make sense of everything while writing this first chapter. I felt like I was writing backwards. **

**Anyway I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter :D **

**Review :) **


	2. Creatures of Dreams

**So instead of bringing in the World Ends With You characters like in Dream Drop Distance. I decided to bring in another game series that Square-Enix owns. It was my first RPG that I ever played and it holds a special place in my heart. **

**That game is Chrono Trigger. Cause you know, with the whole time travel plot being brought in Dream Drop Distance, Square Enix didn't bring Crono and company into the series. Yet they brought The World Ends With You characters in? I never played TWEWY, but from what I've seen and heard its a decent game. **

**I really hope in Kingdom Hearts 3, they make an appearance. **

**Enjoy the chapter. **

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Chapter 2: Creatures of Dreams

When he regained consciousness, Sora was standing in a familiar town. There were dark-colored bricks and several neon signs. It was a town that would feel somehow nostalgic to anyone-Traverse Town. Sora remembered that he had started at this world on his very first adventure.

_'I'm pretty sure I woke up in a back alley that time,' _ he thought remembering his first time here._ 'This time, I'm... umm… on the veranda of a building next to the door to second district…?' _He looked around remembering his first venture through this world. '_If I go up those stairs from this plaza I'll find Cid's shop, so this is first district,' _He smiled in hopes of seeing his friends again._ 'This is the town where I met Cid and Yuffie, Leon and Aerith, and then Donald and Goofy. Cid and the others are in Radiant Garden now, so they won't be here, though. Wait, no, this is all actually part of the Mark of Mastery exam.' _

"…Hey, my clothes are different!" At some point, Sora's clothes had changed into an outfit he had never seen before. _'When I left_ _Destiny Islands I was in what I wore when I first set out from the islands. Is this part of Yen Sid's magic too?' _He wondered looking at what had on.

His outfit contained large yellow shoes, a silver and black over jacket with crimson and white trimming, a black vest with an "X" on the front, crimson pants and a pair of black with yellow gloves with his signature crown necklace and crown chain.

'_Now that I think about it, Riku, Levina and I set off together, but they are not here.' _He thought with a frown.

"Rikuuuuu! Heey, Levinaaaaa!" Sora shouted.

_'They were definitely with me when we fell off the raft,' _Sora thought._ 'Then we sank through the ocean… then what happened?'_

"Shut up…Your too loud." came a voice from above.

"Huh?!" Sora leaned forward until he could see somebody hanging from the roof, but he leaned too far, and tumbled off the veranda and into the plaza. "Owww…"

Sora got back to his feet to find that somehow a boy had alighted beside him. The boy had red spiky hair that could rival Sora's spiky red hair. He has blue eyes and was wearing a short sleeved green shirt underneath a light blue tunic. He was also wearing a black belt, along with yellow pants, a pair of dark brown boots and bracers, a white headband around his forehead, and an orange ascot around his neck. He always keeps a katana close at hand. He was staring at Sora's face.

"Are you Sora?" The boy asked.

"Yeah but… how did you know that?" Sora blinked in confusion.

"I know who you are," The boy replied. "Everyone's heard about here. Come on I'll show you the way."

"You're going to help me?" Sora asked with a smile. "Normally I'm the one helping other people! Alright lead the way! Maybe we can find my friends."

"You'd trust a stranger that easily…," said the boy, eyes dropping slightly. He then continued. "I'm looking for my friends too."

However, it was obvious what Sora was going to say to that. "Why not?" He asked. "How about I help you as a friend?"

"You can't be friends with someone that easily." the boy fired. He was one to talk, the day of the fair, he became friends with a girl which quickly escalated into a world saving adventure.

"Maybe, but it's not hard, either," Sora added with a smile. _'I've made a ton of friends, and I intend to make more,' _He thought._ 'Even if this world isn't real, that absolutely does not mean I can't make friends.'_

"You're a strange kid," The red spiky haired boy said. "Come on, let's go."

Sora broke into a run, chasing the boy. He could still basically remember the layout of Traverse Town. His strength may have returned to a level from before his journeys, but his memories were intact. He ran up the stairs and behind Cid's shop, and on the other side of the big door was second district.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name." Sora said. The boy paused for a second, but before he could speak, strange animals suddenly appeared and surrounded them. They were not Heartless and didn't seem to be Nobodies.

"Dream Eaters!" the boy cried out, readying his stance taking out his katana. As he did, a strange animal appeared by his side. It had a different air—well, mostly it had different eyes—to the animals around them. The ones that had surrounded them seemed somehow more ominous, despite being of a similar shape.

"What a weird name…," Sora said, unthinkingly.

"No, not me!" the boy burst out. "Those!"

"Oh, gotcha!" Sora nodded looking at the animals.

'_Guess those animals are called Dream Eaters_.' Sora thought.

The Dream Eaters were hovering impatiently at a distance.

"Getting surrounded by them is a pain. Let's split up!" the boy said.

"Got it!" Sora made the keyblade appear in his hand.

"And… it's Crono."

"Huh?" Sora asked, not understanding what he was being told.

"Crono. That's my name," said the boy, not looking at Sora.

"Crono…? That's a cool name," said Sora, which is exactly what he felt.

"I suppose it is!" Crono replied with a faint smile.

"Okay Crono, let's go!" Sora urged.

At Sora's signal, Crono broke into a run, driving unyielding into the crowd of Dream Eaters alongside Sora and his keyblade.

Swinging the keyblade around and firing off magic, Sora defeated some Dream Eaters. They were different to Heartless and Nobodies, but they still seemed pretty tough.

When all the Dream Eaters were finally defeated, Crono came back over. Trailing along behind him was the Dream Eater he had called before the battle.

"That one of yours there is a Dream Eater too, right?" Sora asked looking at the creature.

Crono nodded. "Yeah." He watched as the Dream Eater trotted towards Sora. "His name's Meow Wow.

Sora smiled at the dog-cat hybrid. It had a white underbody and muzzle. The top half of its body was blue in color, so were its ears with black tips. Its rear end is black, and its stubby black tail has a pink tip. Its legs are black at the bottom with a pink band wrapping around the middle. The creature always had its pink tongue sticking out indicating that it was always happy. It had a small purple nose in the shape of an upside-down triangle, and it sports a short pink horn on its forehead. Three yellow spots decorate its sides, and the pupils of its circular black eyes take the shape of crosses, that change color depending on its disposition. The Spirit Emblem appears on its chest.

"Guess he belongs to you." Crono said.

"To me?" Sora patted the tiny blue Dream Eater. "Hi, I'm Sora!"

Meow Wow jumped around Sora licking his cheek.

"Hey cut it out!" Sora laughed.

Meow Wow seemed to adore Sora already. It rolled around in front of him, showing its belly.

"…I guess for now, whatever works," Sora said. "Pleased to meet you."

He stroked the soft fluffy belly, and Meow Wow snuffled happily. After Sora and the Meow Wow exchanged such greetings for a while, Crono finally spoke."…Come with me," he said, face turned away.

"Okay." Sora said and he and the Meow Wow went after Crono.

'_I hate to do this do him_,' Crono thought. '_But if I ever want to see Marle and Lucca again, this is the only way_.'

They went along defeating Dream Eaters, Crono running in silence the whole way. They went through a back alley and into third district.

Then Crono finally spoke up.

"I brought Sora! Now do what you promised!" he yelled, facing the direction of the door to first district.

"What's wrong, Crono?" Sora asked tilting his head. '_What does he mean by promise?' _He thought with a frown._ 'Did Crono make a deal with somebody?'_

No sooner than Crono had called, something that appeared to be a person appeared. He saw someone in an Organization XIII coat, their face was hidden by the hood.

_'The coat that man is wearing looks really familiar,' _ Sora thought unnerved._ 'That's it. That's the same coat the people I fought on my second journey wore, Organization XIII.'_

Sora had his keyblade out in a second. "Who are you?!" He demanded to know.

The black coated person began to gather magical light in his hand. Then he brought his hand down.

"Hey! That's not what we promised! You said you wouldn't hurt him!" Crono yelled, looking alarmed, and he ran in front of the man, throwing out his arms as if to protect Sora.

"Stop! Crono! " Sora yelled. "That guy is dangerous!" He shouted, but at that moment—he was overcome by a strange heavy feeling.

It was a sharp drowsiness.

"Uhhn… what… I'm so sleepy… all of a…" Sora groaned collapsing into a deep sleep.

* * *

Levina groaned rubbing her head. "Huh…?" She looked around Traverse Town. This was her first experience in this world. "Where am I?" She wondered. She looked at her clothes. "M-My clothes!" She gasped. She wasn't wearing her old clothes from Destiny Islands or the attire the good fairies gave her. She was wearing a pink body suit with a white short sleeved jacket. Complementing her new attire were white boots. Fastened around her neck was an "X" shaped choker which had her wayfinder pendant attached to it. There were also tiny "X" shaped hair clips which tied her hair together.

'_I wonder where Sora and Riku are?_' She thought with a frown. "Sora!" She called for her friend. "Riku where are you?!"

"You're looking for your friends too?" came a voice.

Levina looked over seeing a girl standing above her from a top the Second District steps. She had short plum purple hair underneath a helmet with an antenna on the right-hand side. She was wearing glasses, along with a long-sleeved dark teal-green shirt under an orange tunic with a dark yellow scarf around her neck, and a pair of dark brown boots on her feet. At her belt line, she wears a small brown bag, and hanging from her shoulder she wears a large blue bag.

Beside the girl was a small silver colored robot dancing around her puffing out smoke from its back.

The purple haired girl sighed. "Robo 2.0, stop that." She said with a smile taking out a screw driver tightening the bolts. She looked at Levina. "You're in a time distortion. That's why you can't see your friends here."

"Time….what?" Levina asked with a confused look on her face.

"Time distortion," Lucca repeated. "Someone's messing with the laws of time. It creates a distortion. That's how I ended up here without my friends," She told her. "So did you come from a gate?"

"Gate?" Levina repeated.

The girl took out a strange key shaped device from her pocket. "Guess not," She said. "Or the gate-key would have reacted." She jumped down from the steps standing next to Levina. "My name is Lucca," The girl held out her hand. "If you want to find your friends, I'd suggest sticking close."

Levina smiled at the older teenager. "I'm Levina."

Before the two could shake hands out of nowhere popped out strange creatures. They were multi pastel colored animal with red eyes. They weren't Heartless, Nobodies, or Unversed.

"Nightmares!" Lucca readied her gun.

"Nightmares?" Levina asked making her keyblade appear.

"These creatures are responsible for eating a person's dream and giving them nightmares." Lucca explained. She then noticed a plump pink hybrid of a cat and dog behind Levina. The top-half body of it is pink and the bottom-half is white. It has several light blue spots on its sides, a white and pink tail, the shape of a flower, and a green horn.

Lucca smiled as the creature ran up to Levina bouncing around her.

"Awwww!" Levina cooed at the creature not caring if it was friendly or not. "What a cute animal!" She reached out her hand.

The Dream Eater known as Flowbermeow licked Levina's hand wagging her flower tail.

"Looks like you came into contact of a Dream Eater." Lucca said with a smile. "We may have a fighting chance now.

"Dream Eater?" Levina smiled down at the creature in front of her.

Flowbermeow barked at Levina turning around facing the Nightmares that surrounded them.

Lucca fired her gun at the Nightmares sending them back and Levina charged at them with her keyblade, with Flowbermeow by her side. The Dream Eater began to glow a bright pink color.

Levina jumped in the air dodging a Nightmare that was about to attack her, she kicked off her feet against the wall bouncing off it and twirling her Starlight keyblade at the creatures.

"I never did that before!" Levina said in awe. She looked at Flowbermeow who was happily wagging her tail at the girl.

Levina smiled. "Did you do that?" She asked patting the Dream Eater's head.

Flowbermeow gave a small bark of approval.

"Looks like you two are getting along just fine." Lucca smiled.

"I think she likes me a little too much." Levina giggled as Flowbermeow continuously bounced around her. "What are those Nightmares made of anyway?"

Lucca pondered the question for a moment. "From what I can gather, I would say a dark powerful magic." She assumed.

'_Darkness…?_' Levina thought. "Everything that's bad is made from the darkness." She said. '_I hate it so much_,' she thought with a small frown. '_The darkness ruins everything_.'

"Not all things created from darkness are bad." Came a voice above them.

Levina looked up seeing someone dressed in an Organization coat. '_How is that possible…!_?' She thought. '_We defeated everyone from the Organization!_'

"You again!" Lucca yelled aiming her gun firing at him, but the man in the coat disappeared and reappeared hovering over them. '_He has to be the one responsible for meddling with time._' She thought.

"How…" Levina gasped. She got in front of Lucca reading her keyblade. "These people are dangerous!" She told the girl.

It was the same man that had attacked Sora and Crono.

The hooded Organization member maliciously grinned from under his hood. His yellow eyes staring at Levina in perplex intruded curiosity. "You say that darkness brings about horrible things," He said to her. "When you yourself were born from the darkness."

"What?!" Levina cried out raged. "My life has always been a part of the light!" She spat at the man. "You don't know anything about me!"

"So you may think." The Organization member replied raising his hand.

"Levina!" Lucca screamed.

Levina felt her eyes get heavy. It was the same feeling Sora felt right before he fell asleep.

"What's…happening…?" Levina held her head as her vision became blurry. "My whole body is…" She fell to the ground falling into a deep sleep.

Flowbermeow whined staying by Levina's side.

* * *

Riku rubbed his head as he woke up from his long slumber. He was in the Third District of Traverse Town. This was the first place he experienced when he had allowed the darkness to take his heart. The way Maleficent had deceived him into thinking Sora didn't care about him allowed the dark fires in his heart to grow, but that was years ago. He was a different person now, than he was back then.

"Where is everybody?" Riku thought out loud. "Hey! Sora!" He called for his friend. "Levina, where are you?!" He looked at the clothes he was wearing. Just like Sora's and Levina's attire, Riku's clothes had also been altered. He was wearing a white sleeveless yellow colloared vest and comfortable blue jeans with a black belt. He saw black wristbands on his hands as well as yellow and white sneakers.

He then heard a girl scream. '_I guess Levina's not far off.'_ He thought making his Way to Dawn keyblade appear. He dashed over the steps of the third district seeing an army of Nightmare Meow Wow Dream Eaters surrounding a girl, that wasn't Levina.

The girl fired her arrows from a cross-bow she held in her hand. Her medium-length blonde hair that is tied into a high ponytail flowed as she fought. She was wearing a white, sleeveless jumpsuit, a gold belt and chain, golden bracelets, and dark brown sandals.

Riku instinctively jumped in front of the girl as tried to fight striking down the Nightmares. As the Nightmares disappeared different colored rocks banded together creating another Dream Eater. It had a small body. Its round, furry head has a diamond mark covering its face, with large, frilled ears, tiny eyes, and two small fangs. Two small, clawed feet hang from its body, while two large, thin wings extend outward. The wings are covered with four-pointed stars, one of them much larger than the others.

The girl giggled seeing the bat. "Looks like you made a Komory Bat, all because you saved me!" She energetically threw her arms up in the air.

"Huh?" Riku blinked.

The girl frowned. "Is that all you say?" She asked the boy. "To think I was going to have you knighted once I returned home." She said with a small wink.

"Kn-knight?" Riku repeated his cheeks turning pink. "I'm not a knight…"

The girl peered into Riku's face. "Wow, calm down." She told him. "It's like you never heard a girl give you a compliment before."

"Not really…" Riku replied.

The girl giggled at Riku's embarrassed look. "I'm Marle." She said.

"Riku…" Riku told her still reeling from the embarrassed moment.

Komory Bat flew over to Riku screeching at him.

Riku smiled a little at the Dream Eater. "So those creatures that attacked you are Nightmares?" He asked.

Marle nodded. "Don't worry this one's friendly." She told him and then sighed. "I just wish I could find my friends."

Riku gave the friendly bat a small affectionate pat on its head. Komory Bat screeched perching itself on Riku's shoulder. He looked at Marle. "You're looking for your friends too?"

"We were separated from our home," Marle explained. "Something about a time distortion or something…," She said scratching her head. "I'm not entirely sure, my friend Lucca is the technical one. She can explain it better." Marle looked around the Third District. "I'm sure my friends are here." She broke into a run heading out a new door that was in the third district. This led them to the hidden Fourth District of Traversed Town.

The Fourth District appears to be based on a more modern city than the other districts, which are Victorian in effect. There were many closed shops line the district, with a tower in the center that has many lights hanging from it. Next to the Coliseum are the doors leading to the Fifth District.

"Hey!" Riku called to her. "We should stick together." He frowned hearing her scream again. "Perfect," He groaned a little annoyed rushing over to where Marle screamed. "You can't expect me to save you all the time…" His voice trailed off as he saw someone in an Organization XIII coat. He saw Marle's cross-bow lying near his feet.

"Marle.." Riku gasped.

"How did you get here?" The man demanded kicking Marle's cross-bow to Riku.

"Who are you?!" Rku demanded to know.

"By choice or chance," The man said walking down the steep small hill of the district slowly advancing on Riku. "You cannot control what you are not aware of."

Riku backed away from the stranger.

"This wake-less sleep will be your prison," The coated Organization man said to Riku. "To wander forever."

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"Riku!" Marle rushed over to him. "Don't listen to him."

Riku looked over seeing that Marle was safe.

"That man in the black coat!" She told him. "He's the one who brought me and the rest of my friends here!" She glared at the man in the coat. "All I had to do was bring you to him and he promised that he'd send me back." She balled her fists. "But I would never want to do something like that!"

Realizing that his plan was going awry, the hooded man revealed himself to Riku. It was a younger version of Master Xehanort. His golden eyes, and silver hair which both slightly spikes and falls past his shoulders in the back; it is styled similar to Terranort and Xemnas, albeit with four bangs framing his face - the back two thicker than the front two - and the two backwards spikes on the sides are absent, the topmost one slicked back.

Young Xehanort outstretched his hands at the boy. "I meant it when I said when I had mentioned this wake-less world will be your prison." He smirked disappeared.

"Hey!" Riku yelled moving to go after him, but he felt a heavy weight take over him.

"Why am I…," He gasped holding his head. "So sleepy…" He fell to the ground befalling the same sleep like state, just like Sora and Levina.

Komory Bat screeched in concern as Marle ran up to him.

* * *

In the Mysterious Tower, Yen Sid had his eyes closed. He was deep in thought while Sora, Riku, and Levina were on the floor in a sleep like state. This was how their exam had started.

"To defeat Xehanort, as stated in the King's message, we must bring 'those who sleep in sorrow' back to this realm." Yen Sid said.

"Your lost friends?" Lira asked looking at Mickey staying by Levina's side.

For some reason, Mickey could feel a hopeless pain unfolding in his chest.

Yen Sid continued. "To do this a new power will be necessary, gained by unlocking seven sleeping keyholes," He looked at Mickey, Lira, Donald, Goofy, and Hiko. "As you know, one may not travel freely between worlds, as they are separated by invisible walls. Up until now people have been able to travel to those worlds with broken walls, or by using the keyblade to open gateways to lanes between, but you will be unable to use these methods to travel to the 'worlds bound in sleep' in which the sleeping keyholes lie."

_'Seven keyholes…,' _ Mickey thought._ 'Hearing the number seven reminds me of the seven princesses It's a good thing Sora helped them on his first journey. Alice, Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, Jasmine, Belle, and Kairi. I wonder if there is some sort of connection between the princesses and the keyholes?'_

"On your first journey, you restored the worlds that had been swallowed by darkness. However, some worlds among them were not fully restored, and are sleeping to this day. No gate leads to them, and not even the Heartless are able to penetrate them."

'_Master __Yen Sid sure does go on a lot,' _Hiko thought looking at his wise master._ ' But this isn't like a lesson from a teacher at school, this is about worlds I've never set foot on.'_

"Therefore, instead of the Heartless which form the majority of darkness in our realm, a different kind of darkness exists within the worlds bound in sleep. They are malevolent monsters that devour dreams, known as Dream Eaters."

"Dream Eaters?" Lira repeated. "Sounds like something you made up to me." She said crossing her arms across her chest.

"It is said that there are two kinds of Dream Eaters. There are Nightmares that devour good dreams and plant unpleasant ones, and good-natured Spirits that only eat bad dreams." Yen Sid explained. "Just as the Heartless appear alongside the door to the heart of a world, I would guess that investigating the Dream Eaters will guide them to the sleeping keyholes."

Mickey stared at the trio taking the test. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

* * *

**And it begins. Those of us who have played Dream Drop Distance know very well what the X's mean. **

**What do you guys think of having the Chrono Trigger characters in the fic instead of the Worlds Ends With You? Maybe I'll have the rest of the characters from Chrono Trigger join during Kingdom Hearts 3. Right now it'll be just Crono, Marle, and Lucca. **

**Review :) **


	3. Rules of Sleep

**Hooray new chapter!**

**I'm glad everyone is liking this story so far. Sorry to those fans who wanted the TWEWY characters in this story like how it was in Dream Drop Distance, but I wanted to do something different. Hopefully this story will get you to play Chrono Trigger. **

**To the guest/anon reviewer who wrote about Young Xehanort being infatuated with Levina. What is wrong with you? That's just gross. There will be certain things revealed though, that's all I'm saying.**

Thanks for all the awesome reviews guys and keep them coming :D

* * *

Chapter 3: Rules of Sleep

"…Nn… hnnn…" Waking up, Sora found himself lying down in the last place he had broken off consciousness, third district. The stones that had served as his bed were cold against his cheek. Sora stood up, rubbing his eyes. The black coated man and Crono were both gone.

_'That wasn't from some spell or attack,'_ Sora thought. '_It was just a sudden overwhelming drowsiness. What happened? Did it have something to do with how this world is one of the 'worlds bound by sleep' that Yen Sid talked about?'_

Looking around Sora scanned the area. He didn't see the hooded man or Crono anywhere.

_'What was up with Crono?' _ He thought._ 'He told that black coated guy to 'do what he promised'. I wonder what he meant. They've definitely met before.'_

"First thing's first, I'll search this place." Sora dragged himself out of thought and decided to get moving. Deciding to look for Crono first, Sora opened the door to first district.

As Sora stood lost in thought, Meow Wow that had been by his side the whole time now began to plod away.

"Hey, where are you going?!"Sora chased after the Meow Wow, and found himself at a door that he had never opened on any of his travels so far.

"I wonder if this door even opens…?"

Meow Wow went ahead and pushed the door open with its little body.

"Can we go in there?" Sora peered through the door from behind Meow Wow. On the other side was a road Sora had never been on before.

_'It makes me kinda glad that there can still be places to explore in Traverse Town that are new to me.' _ He thought.

Sora and Meow Wow went on ahead. As they did, the winding road came out into a place like an underground waterway with a giant fountain.

_'Come to think of it, there's a little fountain in second district in Traverse Town too.' _ He thought.

They went on defeating Dream Eaters until they arrived at another door, which they went through.

"Wow! I've never been here." Sora chimed looking around.

This district, called fourth district, was a gorgeous place with chains of twinkling lights strung all about. Further in stood a large building that dazzled with neon. There were also several moogles doing their usual business selling items.

He headed for the building. He slid down the handrail of a flight of stairs, and came upon a moogle and a woman.

The woman unkempt clothes, and she looked as though she was much older than Sora. Her curly light blonde hair swayed as she fought Dream Eaters. Her outfit was completely made of fur and she had a furry tail to go with her outfit.

The impression her fashion style gave was quite out of the ordinary.

Wondering whether this was Crono's friend, Sora approached her.

"Hey there, would you happen to ha a friend of Crono's?" He asked.

The cavewoman stared at Sora. "You know Crono?" She asked shoving the boy into the fountain. "What you do with Crono?!" She demanded furiously.

"Ah!" Sora yelped falling into the fountain. "I…I didn't do anything, honest!" He screamed.

Meow Wow tugged on Sora's hand to keep him from getting wet.

The cavewoman stared at Meow Wow. "That animal for Ayla to eat?" She asked curiously.

"Wha?!" Sora screamed causing Meow Wow to hide behind Sora's feet. "No! He's my friend!"

Meow Wow cowered looking at the cavewoman who ran her fingers through her hair.

"What's your name?" Sora asked. "How did you get here?" He smiled. "I'm Sora!"

"Me…," The cavewoman paused. "Me, Ayla." She said. "Me not know…," She told him. "Only thing I know is name and friends."

"You mean… you have no memories of anything else?" Sora asked.

Ayla nodded her head.

Sora had lost his memories before too, so he understood a little of how she must have been feeling.

However, Ayla smiled cheerily at Sora. "No worrying ok," She said to the boy. "Me one hundred percent fine. Memories will come back just as soon as they're jogged."

Ayla's smile made Sora smile too. "Yeah, you're right! Maybe if we find Crono, you'llyou're your memories back. Come with me! Let's go look for Crono!"

Ayla nodded following the boy's lead.

* * *

Levina groaned feeling Flowbermeow licking her to wake her up.

"H-Huh…" Levina rubbed her eyes patting Flowbermeow's head. "What happened?" She wondered looking around the abandoned Second District. She looked around wondering where Lucca went.

"Where did Lucca go?" She thought and then frowned remember what that man in the black coat – Young Xehanort had said. "What did he mean I was born from the darkness?" She thought out loud. She had no time to worry about that now, she had to find Lucca and make sure she was alright.

Wandering out of the Second District, Levina went through the doors that led to the First District.

Instinctively Flowbermeow ran towards a red mail box. She barked at the mail box catching Levina's attention.

"What? What is it?" Levina asked.

With all her strength, the tiny Dream Eater could muster. She moved aside the mail box revealing a sewer which led to the Fourth District.

"Down there?" She asked looking at her Dream Eater.

Flowbermeow gave a nod jumping into the sewer and Levina followed. The room was a giant post office. It was filled with numerous boxes of unsent letters with many gadgets and gizmos to help maneuver it. Levina looked around at the barren empty area. Something then caught her eye. She saw a rotund and bulky robot sitting on the floor like it hadn't been used in a long time. The robot was a beige and brown color which was slowly rusting. Its outer body equates to an exoskeleton of metal plates that splay or separate under duress or emotional excitement. Underneath, there is a soft layer of what appears to be black rubber or another sleek oily material. It's bipedal with two claw-like feet and two arms, one serving as a three-fingered mandible and the other as a laser cannon or spring-loaded fist. Robo also has bluish green eyes. Vents serve as the robot's mouth and nostrils.

'_I wonder how long it's been down here?_' She thought reaching out to the robot.

"Stop!" It was Lucca.

Levina turned around seeing her. "Lucca!" She smiled. "You're ok!"

Lucca ran passed her staring at the broken down robot. "Robo…" She whispered taking out her screw driver fixing his rusty bolts.

Flowbermeow jumped back as Robo's green sensors flickered.

"L-Lucca…?" The robot looked at the purple haired girl.

"So this is where you disappeared when the Gate appeared." Luca said helping her robotic friend to his feet. "What happened?"

Before Robo could respond a large green monkey jumped down on everyone.

On instinct Flowbermew barked and growled at the monster.

Levina made her Starlight keyblade appear. "Take cover!" She told them staring at the large Nightmare monkey. Its limbs were large and multi-colored baring sharp fangs for teeth and red blank eyes. She noticed that the giant Dream Eater had something in its paws. A star-shaped necklace. It wasn't a wayfinder. It was a papou fruit necklace.

"That necklace…" Levina gasped remember she found her mother's necklace in her diary during her first visit to Radiant Garden. "That's my mom's necklace!"

Levina raised her keyblade swinging it hard on the Dream Eater that attacked them, but she went flying back as the monkey's large paw slammed her into the wall. Concerned for her partner and friend, Flowbermeow ran to Levina's side.

The large monkey howled in pain as it felt fire burning its back.

"Leave her alone you big dirty ape!" Lucca twirled in the air casting fira on the monkey.

Robo launched his fist at the monkey Dream Eater rapidly punching it.

Flowbermeow barked at Levina wagging her tail.

Levina looked at the Dream Eater. "You want me to grab your tail?" She asked.

Flowbermeow gave a nod as Levina gently grabbed the Dream Eater's tail and it began to glow a bright pink color. The Dream Eater slowly shape shifted into a sword and her tail became the blade.

"Whoa…" Levina gasped in awe and then turned her attention to the large Dream Eater monkey. "Take this!" She charged at the monkey swinging Flowbermeow at the monster that threatened to hurt her friends.

The monkey screeched in pain and disappeared almost as if someone was calling it back.

"It disappeared!" Levina frowned seeing the necklace fall to the ground. She picked it up making sure it wasn't damaged.

"Someone must have called it back." Lucca assumed.

"We must keep moving." Robo insisted.

"Right," Lucca agreed with her robotic friend.

Levina stared at the necklace in her hand. '_Is my mom here too?'_ She wondered.

* * *

Riku groaned waking up. The boy got up holding his head. "What happened…?" He asked looking around. "That guy in the black coat..," He mumbled. "He was from the Organization."

Komory Bat screeched flapping its wings beside Riku.

"Riku!" Marle ran over to him. "You're alright." The Princess of Guardia lowered her head. "I'm sorry…" She apologized.

"For what?" Riku asked. "You didn't do anything."

Marle shook her head. "No but…," She confessed. "That man in the black coat. He promised to return me to my friends."

"You shouldn't trust them," Riku told her. "They always end up lying. Just to get their way."

Marle smiled at the boy. "So you aren't mad?"

Riku shook his head. "I know what it's like to make a deal with the darkness." He told her trying to suppress the memories he had that were still etched in his head of how he used the darkness to hurt his friends, especially Sora. That was a year ago, even still it still hurt his heart to think that he could have gone the wrong path.

Komory Bat suddenly screeched in distress getting their attention. A rift opened up in the middle of the sky. It was the same monkey Dream Eater monster that attacked Levina.

The giant monkey roared almost landing on top of them.

Riku instinctively summoned his Way to Dawn keyblade only to get knocked aside by the Dream Eater's massive paw.

"Riku!" Marle screamed aiming her bow and arrow at the Dream Eater. She fired a few arrows, but all it did was irritate the Dream Eater.

Marle folded her hands across the shimmering pendant she wore. A family heirloom, passed down from generations to the royal family. A soft blue aura surrounded her as she slowly began rising in the air. Giant blocks of ice fell on the ginormous Dream Eater.

Riku swiftly dodged another attack from the Dream Eater, swinging his keyblade at the creature, but the Dream Eater grabbed Riku by his arm.

"You put him down this instant!" Marle demanded stomping her foot almost like she were back home.

Riku struggled swinging his keyblade at the giant monkey.

The Dream Eater cried out in pain suddenly as it felt a massive blade strike its body. A frog leaped down from the sky pulling out his sword from the beast's arm.

"Foul creature be gone with you!" The anthropomorphic amphibian said as his green cape flowed in the wind. He was small in size, but was very fast. He had on what appeared to be armor belonging to a squire and gloves.

"Glenn!" Marle smiled with glee seeing her friend.

"Did….I just get saved by a talking frog?" Riku blinked in surprise.

"My looks may be deceiving young lad, but I am capable of holding my own in battle." The frog named Glenn replied.

Together he and Marle harnessing the magic powers of water and ice created a gigantic glacier hurling it at the monkey Dream Eater knocking it down.

Riku held onto Komory Bat causing the bat to screech giving his owner wings. "This power…" He gasped looking at his Dream Eater who affectionately screeched. He never felt anything like this before, not even the darkness upheld this warm feeling he felt. Now that he had wings of his own temporarily, Riku flew at the Dream Eater with his Way to Dawn keyblade. He flew at the Dream Eater skewering the rest of its body with his keyblade.

The Dream Eater disappeared in fragments of light. Once it disappeared, Riku, Marle, and Frog began to see transparent images of Sora, Crono, Ayla, Levina, Lucca, and Robo.

"What is this?" Riku asked.

"Those are our friends, but they look different." Glenn frowned. "What sorcery is this?" He wondered.

"Crono…" Marle tried reaching for him but her hand just passed through him. "Argh!" She screamed in frustration. "He's right there in front of me and I can't even reach him!"

Riku looked at Marle struggling to control her emotions. "If your hearts are connected," He told her. "You'll reach him."

* * *

Glancing about, Sora saw a large door beside an item-selling moogle. Sora and Ayla opened the door together. There seemed to be a fifth district. They walked onto a bridge, listening to the sound of water.

After they crossed the bridge together, they came upon another huge building with 'flower plant' written on it. Inside seemed to be a botanical garden. However, the door was closed and it could not be entered.

On top of the glass roof was Crono.

"Crono! It's good to see you're okay!" Sora beamed hurrying over to him.

However, something was wrong.

"Sora… you still trust me?" Crono asked, not turning to face Sora.

"Of course I do." Sora answered with a smile. He trusted his own intuition when it came to this sort of thing.

"Even though I tried to trick you?! I was told by that guy in the black coat to bring you to him… and if I did, he'd send me and my friends back to our original world together." Crono told him."…Sorry." He apologized.

"It's fine, sheesh. You tried to protect me, didn't you? Besides, we're friends. Right?" Sora beamed.

"Friends…" Crono turned to Sora, and finally gave a small smile.

"Oh yeah," Sora said, remembering the cavewoman beside him. "Crono, her name's is Ayla. Is she a friend of yours by any chance?"

"Yeah she is except…,." Crono was happy to be reunited with a friend, but it wasn't his right friends. The friends that were from his time. "Ayla's not from my time," Crono replied, and the next moment orange light enveloped Ayla and she disappeared.

"Huh?!" Crono gasped looking around. "Ayla!"

In front of their shocked eyes, someone appeared as though in place of Ayla-the black coated man – Young Xehanort. The keyblade flashed into Sora's hand. Crono took off from beside Sora, heading straight for the man. However, something like a black wind appeared around the cloaked man, sending Crono flying back.

"Crono!" Sora shouted.

In front of him, Young Xehanort raised his hands above his head. Black light gathered there, and then a figure appeared-a bizarre-looking creature that could only be described as a monkey with its arms and head sticking out of a huge box.

Sora had never seen a Dream Eater this huge before. It was the same Dream Eater that attacked Levina and Riku. The gigantic Dream Eater, Hockomonkey, roared and the air around them shivered.

Sora noticed Young Xehanort leave through a dark corridor. "Hey! Wait!" He moved to chase after him, but the Dream Eater blocked his path.

"Get out of my way!" Keyblade in hand, Sora faced the Hockomonkey with his Meow Wow by his side.

Hockomonkey's hands, which looked as though they wore boxing gloves, split off from its body to fly around freely, and they began to attack.

They were a pretty big nuisance.

Dodging their pursuit, Sora locked onto Hockomonkey's body and swung his Keyblade, but he was thrown off so hard he fell right off the building.

"What. This shouldn't be so hard." Sora said.

"You might want to focus." Crono instructed unsheathing his katana summoning thunder magic by raising his arms in the air to strike down Hockeymonkey.

Meow Wow had turned its back to Sora and was wiggling its round bottom at him. It looked like it was saying he should ride on its back.

"You sure that's okay?" Sora asked his companion.

Meow Wow gave a nod of approval.

Sora climbed on,and Meow Wow began to bounce rapidly, just like a ball. "Awesome!"

Meow Wow made a powerful jump, coming down hard on top of Hockomonkey. Its roly-poly body crushed Hockomonkey.

"Whoa, look at you go! Okay let's do this!" Sora jumped down from the Meow Wow's back and struck the unmoving Hockomonkey with a finishing blow.

Hockomonkey's body wreathed into blinding light and rose into the sky. Then it rained down as pieces of light.

As it did, in one of the places where the light fell, a projection of Riku , Marle, Glenn, Levina, Lucca, and Robo appeared.

The image was somewhat transparent, Sora knew that it wasn't real the instant he saw it.

"Riku!" Sora moved to run over to the vision of his treasured friend, but someone called out to stop him.

"Hold up, Sora!" Crono told him.

Behind him two red shaped globes showing the image of a town that looked a lot like Traverse Town was hovering idly.

'If this is Traverse Town, then what's that town in the globe?' Sora was confused.

Marle seemed to jump out of the projection as she tore past Sora, and Riku then chased after her. It looked like she and Riku couldn't see Sora. He noticed Levina running with Lucca. This was at the point before they all had defeated Hockmonkey.

'_It looks like we're all in Traverse Town, only Riku, Levina and those girls aren't here.' Sora_ thought.

"Feels like it's been forever, since I've been with them." Crono said looking at his friends. Just then, the globe behind Crono began to sparkle, and Ayla appeared beside him in a burst of light.

"Ayla! You're okay!" Sora cried happily.

"What happened to you?" Crono asked.

The cavewoman shook her head. "Don't know," She replied. "Place very dark and cold." She balled her fists. "I will tear that man in black coat apart!"

"So what do you think happened?" Sora asked.

"Must be a bunch of different Gates opening up." Crono answered.

"Huh?" Sora asked in confusion.

"My friend Lucca can explain it better than me, but they are pretty much holes that appear out of nowhere and take you anywhere in time you want to go." He looked at the projections in front of him. The spiky red head turned to Sora and said, "Those are your friends right? Riku and Levina?"

* * *

"Is that Sora and Riku?" Levina asked as projections of her friends appeared.

Lucca nodded seeing her friends as well. "I was afraid of this." She sighed.

"Afraid of what?" Levina asked. "What's going on?" She wanted an answer.

"Time is being distorted." Lucca replied.

"Who could have caused this horrible imbalance between the flow of time?" Robo asked. "We defeated Lavos."

"I don't think Lavos is behind this…" Lucca muttered. She shuddered at the thought of fighting that creature that spawned into the planet eons ago.

"Lavos?" Levina asked.

"A celestial being that came to our planet sixty-five millions year ago," Lucca explained. "It wasn't easy task, but my friends and I were able to stop it from destroyed a desolate future that we would never see."

"They must be traveling through different Gates, alternate gates." Lucca said.

"Gates?" Levina repeated the word.

"Long story short, they work like a gate that connects through different timelines." Lucca said holding up her Gate Key. "But this world is made from dreams. So of course we would know about everything in it," She continued explaining. "We even know that those two are your best friends. That's why we wanted to help you."

"Sora…Riku…" Levina hadn't expected to hear those names. "Do you know them?"she pressed.

The state Levina was in made Lucca smile. "Didn't I just say? I know everything."

"Where are they?" Levina asked, taking a step forward automatically. Lucca turned to the images of Sora and Riku.

"They're in another version of this exact world, being projected." Lucca told her.

"Another version of this world? Can I go there using a gate thing?" Levina asked, wanting to go straight to where Sora and Riku were if she could.

"Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to. I'm the only one who can, because I'm the one holding this." Lucca said holding her gate key looking at Sora and Riku again. "Things happening in the other world, shut away by the Dream Eaters, show up in those projections. As for why the world branched apart in the first place-it's safe to say he had something to do with it."

Levina watched the transparent figures squaring off against Young Xehanort before the Hockmonkey battle for each of them. She saw his face being uncovered in Riku's version of Traverse Town.

"He looks like…!" Levina gasped in fright seeing how uncanny the resemblance was of Master Xehanort. She shook her head. "No…it can't be him!" She screamed.

Lucca tightly held onto the Gate key. She knew her friends time were up. Ever since that last battle with Lavos, Lucca desperately wanted to back and forth through time to see her friends again.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again, Lucca." Robo said to her disappearing.

Almost disheartened seeing her friend from the future leave, Lucca's hand gripped the handle of the Gate Key. '_This was all a mistake...I've played with their lives long enough.' _

* * *

At the same time while Lucca was explaining how time and dreams worked Sora saw Marle, Glenn, and Lucca for the first time standing beside his friends.

Then, he saw Young Xehanort slowly pushed his hood back. Under the coat was a silver haired young man.

"...Who is that?" Sora found himself saying under his breath.

_'I've never seen him before-he's not a member of Organization XIII.' _ He thought._ 'I feel like I know him, though.'_

Inside the projection, the man turned into light and disappeared. Then, so did the rest of Crono's friends aiding Sora's friends.

"Lucca..." Glenn murmured.

"Marle..." Crono said under his breath.

Sora, Riku, and Levina faced each other in separate worlds. However, Levina and Riku did not disappear.

"Riku..." Sora said. "Levina…"

In exchange, it seemed, Crono and Ayla disappeared, wrapped in light. Lucca stood before Sora, Riku, Levina as they stood side by side in divided worlds, and began to speak softly.

"Their existences had come to an end, in their original world. So that their beings wouldn't be erased, I managed to scrape together the remaining fragments of their dreams and searched for a place that would shelter them."

Lucca turned her back on Sora, Riku, and Levina taking a few steps. She stopped, and put her hand in her pocket. Sora didn't really understand the part about the world Crono and the others had come from.

_'What exactly does it mean for an 'existence to come to an end', though? It sounds like something pretty awful.' _ Sora thought.

"Thanks to the dreams of my friends dreams that I was holding, this town appeared in the realm of sleep. Seeing as they had become pieces of dreams, I thought that perhaps in a place like this my best friends could be brought back to how they were. I was surprised to find that in the realm of sleep, fragments of dreams were corporeal. And then, I thought that connecting the bonds between my dream-fragment friends might strengthen their respective beings, and help them be reborn."

Riku seemed to ask Lucca something from where he stood beside Sora nor would Levina's voice reach Sora and Riku. Sora's voice couldn't reach Riku, and Riku's couldn't reach Sora. It seemed to reach Lucca, though.

"You saw the results for yourself. People can't exist alone. You are first able to exist as a person the moment that someone else becomes aware of your being. The strength of their connected awareness of each other allowed them to be reborn. Your efforts with them were of course a great help, too." She told them.

_'A connection... your feelings of thinking of each one of your friends makes each of their feelings, and hearts, stronger.' _ He thought. Sora too had come to understand this on his journeys. '_Connected hearts give power to everyone.'_

"Lucca, what are you?" Sora asked.

_This is the out-of-place feeling I got when first meeting him. _

Lucca held onto her Gate Key. Her scientific mind wanted more answers to how time traveled worked. How alternate dimensions and time rifts worked. All at the cost of her friends. She was turning into some crazed scientist, she felt as though she was losing grip of her own reality. '_Maybe that last battle did more harm than good_.' She thought with a heavy sigh. '_Once I return home things will be the same.'_

Lucca smiled. "Just a friend," she said raising the Gate Key in the air creating a Gate that would take her home.

Right before Sora's shocked eyes, Lucca trudged towards the Gate smiling at her home. The Kingdom of Guardia. "I'll bet Kid's waiting for me." She said walking through the Gate.

Something appeared in front of them-a keyhole. Sora looked over into the world that was this one but two more keyholes appeared. One at Riku and the other at Levina. The three friends simultaneously looked each other. Riku was looking at Sora, too.

'_They're right by my side and we can't touch or talk or anything, but Riku and Levina being here means that our worlds are connected.'_

Sora, Riku, and Levina nodded to each other across worlds, and raised their keyblades to the keyholes.

Light beamed from both of their blades and unlocked it.

Sora looked beside him to Riku and to Levina once more. Levina was looking at her friends. Riku was looking right back at them. They nodded to each other once more, and Riku disappeared.

The three set off for the next world.

* * *

**For those of you who don't know, in Chrono Cross the semi-sequel to Chrono Trigger, Lucca kind of goes crazy and becomes obsessive with time travel. There's even a flashback and a few select characters that claim this to be true. The game's sequel doesn't really dive into depth detail why she snaps though which kind of disappoints me. **

**Next world Hunchback of Notre Dame. Will there be a Frollo boss fight? Yes there will! **


	4. The City of Bells

**New chapter! The Hunchback of Notre Dame. My third favorite Disney movie! I've been waiting to write this chapter for a long time :D **

**You guys have no idea how long I've been wanting to write Vanitas again :D When I saw him in Dream Drop Distance, I was flipping out! I was all yesh he's back and all he had was a 5 second cameo! I was really disappointed. So I involved Vanitas in this world :) **

**Also I added a lot of scenes from the movie, because to be honest, Dream Drop Distance didn't really do a good job adapting the movie into the game. I understand they couldn't do a lot because the movie in itself was so controversial. **

* * *

Chapter 4: The City of Bells

Lira looked down at the sleeping forms of Sora, Riku, and Levina. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked Yen Sid.

"In order for the three keyblade wielders to achieve the Mark of Mastery," Yen Sid began. "One dream is connected to, which means we must choose in which sleeping world they will begin. I have already returned them to the Destiny Islands, just before it was swallowed by the darkness and plunged into sleep."

Lira heavily sighed. "I just hate sitting her and not doing anything…!" She trailed off sniffing a horrible odor. Her blue eyes glanced at Hiko and she glared at him. "What are you eating?!" She snarled.

Hiko looked down at his plate of food. A giant slab of meat smothered in garlic and onions which was already half-eaten. "Are you hungry?" He asked her. "It's my special recipe." He said. "I made it myself."

Donald's mouth watered at the cooked food on a nearby table. "Oh boy!" He chimed. "It looks great."

"Do ya have any more for us?" Goofy asked equally hungry. He looked at Lira asking her, "There's plenty more Lira! Have some."

Lira grimaced. "No!" She yelled frustrated. She felt like she was going to vomit from the odor of the food. "Ugh…I wish I was helping Levina instead of being stuck here…" She sighed.

Mickey smiled at watching Donald and Goofy stuff their faces. He frowned a little at Lira seeing how agitated she was. He felt the same, he wanted to help Sora, Riku, and Levina too. He looked at Yen Sid. "Gosh, Master Yen Sid do you think they are safe in the sleeping dream worlds?"

"Since the dreams have taken them, they must allow the Dream Eaters to guide them to the Sleeping Worlds. As there are seven pure lights, there are seven keyholes. Unlocking them will grant them new powers and free the worlds from their slumber. If they complete this task and return here safely, I will name them true Keyblade Masters."

* * *

He felt weak. Almost drained of everything he once had. That power, the power to control negative emotions had vanished inside of him. That last battle with Ven, although it was years ago was still fresh on his mind.

He glowered in the darkness, of the empty room of a cathedral. Xehanort promised him many things, but this wasn't what he had hoped to gain. To be forgotten, to have lost the chance to be whole again. He could hear the echoes of laughter of the people outside. There was some kind of festival, not that he cared. He spent most of his time here, after a judge sought pity on him, lying in the opened streets like a lost animal. He was gathering his strength back slowly. He would always hear the same words; abomination, failure, strange. Xehanort said those words once before too. It angered him, the fledgling creatures known as the Unversed that would normally appear whenever he got angry couldn't be manifested from the darkness. He was too weak to create them.

What happened to his body all those years ago still remained a mystery to him. He almost felt transparent, like he wasn't supposed to exist. Like he was supposed to be defeated years ago by Ventus.

'_Ventus.._.' Vanitas thought sneering at the name. '_You idiot...I told you, you would destroy us both if you fought me_.' He sneered at the memory of how he was easily defeated. _'His friends were what gave him strength_.' He thought wearily. '_Where does my strength come from?_' He thought. _'I don't have anything stupid like friends to give me power. I make my own power, from the darkness. I need darkness to get back my strength_.'

His yellow eyes squinted at the unfamiliarity of light coming through an opened door. He growled in frustration at the light hitting his face. He was completely accustomed to the darkness.

Judge Frollo approached the stranger from the outside world, he knew he wasn't from this place and automatically assumed he was a failed Gypsy. Brandishing a sword in his hand the old judge declared, "Judgment is upon you."

Vanitas gritted his teeth at the old man before him. His hand twitched and finally after struggling to summon it he was successful. His Void Gear keyblade appeared in a flash of darkness. The dark haired boy grinned thrusting his keyblade into the old judge's chest.

Frollo grunted gasping feeling the darkness inside of his heart being set free. At that moment several Nightmares appeared throughout the city of Notre Dame.

"You don't get to cast judgment on me," Vanitas said with a cruel sneer to the kneeling judge. "I make my own judgment." He looked out into city of Notre Dame. He was promised a purpose to his existence. This was the first place he would start searching for answers.

* * *

Levina wandered the streets of Notre Dame with Flowbermeow by her side. She smiled at all the happy cheerful faces. They seemed to getting ready for some big event.

Flowbermeow wandered off towards one of the food stalls.

"Hey!" Levina cried chasing after her Dream Eater. She looked at her pink friend. "Oh your hungry?" She asked.

Flowbermeow gave a playful bark wagging her tail in confirmation.

Levina smiled wondering what Dream Eaters ate. Since this was a locked dream world, she saw strange colored shaped cookies similar to Flowbermeow's color scheme. She took one kneeling down beside her companion. "Here you go."

Flowberemow sniffed the pink and white treat before taking a bite. The Dream Eater's taste buds were in hevean as she gobbled the entire cookie.

Levina giggled petting her head. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear your Sora's partner." At that moment she thought of her friends. "I wonder how far Sora and Riku have gotten in this test." She wondered as she continued walking.

Her eyes caught the colossal cathedral. "Wow…" She gasped at the sight, walking inside she saw dimly lit candles.

Flowbermeow lightly whined at the fact that no one was here.

"Hello?" Levina's voice echoed through the long hallway. She suddenly heard movement from behind the walls.

Flowberemow cowered behind Levina's feet.

"Don't be scared…" Levina said to her wandering deeper into the cathedral going up a flight of broken stairs.

Quasimodo a deformed young man with a hunched back was staring out into the city of Notre Dame. He was kept here for years by his master Claude Frollo after being rescued by a gypsy attack. His messy red hair covered one side of his face as he looked out into city. A large green tunic covered most of his body and he wore old worn out brown shoes.

Levina quietly approached the strange man. "Hello…?"

Quasimodo turned gasping in fright seeing her, he hid behind a pillar.

"Hey don't be scared…" Levina said with a small frown. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"G-Good morning." The hunch back stammered.

Levina lightly smiled at the young man's kindness. Flowbermeow approached him cautiously sniffing him. She saw no danger in the youth.

"Please stay away….!" Quasimodo begged hiding his face in his hands afraid he would frighren the girl with his grotesque looks.

"Why?" Levina asked curiously walking up to him. "You don't seem dangerous."

Quasimodo removed his hands from his face slowly lowering them and asked, "You don't think I'm hideous?"

Levina shook her head. "No," She told him with a gentle smile. "I'm Levina," She introduced herself looking down at the city below. "What's going on down there?"

"Quasimodo…is my name," The hunched back introduced himself. "Everyone's at the Festival of Fools," He answered. "If I picked a day to fly, this would be it!" He said with a proud smile. "You shouldn't be up here with me, you would have so much fun down there with the jugglers and music and dancing!"

Levina looked at the friendly hunched back. "Why don't you come with me?" She asked. "It seems like you'd have a lot of fun down there! You don't want to be cooped up here forever."

"The girl's gotta point, Quasi!" One of the gargoyle statues had come to life. The chubby gargoyle's name was Hugo. He peered down at the city patting Quasimodo's back. "So what's going on down there? Is it a fight? A flogging?"

"A festival." Another gargoyle spoke, this one was slimmer and had more of an intellect. The statue's name was Victor.

"You mean the Feast of Fools!" Hugo said happily.

"It is a sinful treat to watch the colorful pageantry of the town folk." Victor chimed.

"Good thing we've got great balcony seats watching the festival from up here!" Hugo added.

Quasimodo sighed. "Yeah watching…." He said in dismay.

Levina frowned a little at Quasimodo. "We'll watch the festival together!" She urged trying to make him feel better.

"The poor boy's been stuck up here forever." A groggy voice of a female gargoyle chimed in. "What good is watching a festival when you could actually be down there having fun."

Quasimodo lowered his head. "But I'm not allowed to leave." He said with a disappointed sigh.

"Why not?" Levina asked.

"My Master…" Quasimodo began and then heard the sound of footsteps approaching him. "Oh no!" He yelled. "You need to leave now!"

"What? Why?" Levina asked.

"My Master will punish me if he knew I had visitors up here, please go." Quasimodo urged her.

Levina frowned a little. She wouldn't want anyone to get in trouble because of her. Picked up Flowbermeow she hid behind a pillar as Frollo walked up to Quasimodo. The gargoyles turned to stone as Frollo spoke.

"Good morning, Quasimodo." Frollo said with a stern demeanor in his voice.

Flowbermeow lowly growled feeling the darkness in Frollo's heart.

"Shhh…" Levina hissed.

"M-Morning Master…" Quasimodo nervously backed away.

"Who on Earth are you talking to dear boy?" Frollo questioned.

Quasimodo became nervous staring at the stone gargoyles. "M-My friends…" He replied.

Frollo frowned at his pupil's behavior. "I see," He said dryly not interested. "What are your friends made of dear boy?"

"Stone…" Quasimodo lowered his head.

"Can stone talk?" Frollo asked taking the deformed hunched back's chin in his hand so that his eyes for gazing at his Master's.

"No…" Quasimodo replied fearful for what would happen to him if he strayed too far of his Master's wishes.

"Good lad," Frollo released him. "Fetch me my lunch."

Levina watched as Frollow treated Quasimodo like his personal footstool as he barked orders at the boy. '_This isn't right…_' She thought balling her fists. '_Just because he looks different, he's being treated like he's not worth anything._'

"Let's practice your alphabet today, Quasimodo." Frollo instructed with authority.

"I would like that very much Master." Quasimodo replied dismissively.

Levina watched as Frollo's alphabet lesson turned into making Quasimodo belittle himself with each letter. A was for abomination, B was for belittle, but once the hunch back got to F.

"Festival…" Quasimodo gasped realizing his mistake which caused Frollo to glare. The judge got up from his seat.

"What did you say?!" Frollo snarled emitting a dark powerful aura around him.

"F-Forgiveness Master…," Quasimodo quickly said in a panic. "I meant to say forgiveness."

"You said festival!" Frollo sneered.

"It's just that you go every year…" Quasimodo panicked. "Just this once, I would like to…"

Frollo scowled at the boy. "I am a public official!" He yelled. "It is my duty to go and smite down those awful Gypsies corrupting our streets!"

Levina could feel the judge's old heart being corrupted by darkness. '_Where did all that darkness in his heart come from?_' She wondered. Not wanting to stay here any longer for Quasimodo's sake, Levina grabbed a giant tapestry hanging on one of the pillars. "Hold on tight." She whispered to Flowberemow climbing onto the ledge using the tapestry like a parachute to land safely on the ground.

* * *

Riku stepped into the cathedral as he saw Frollo walk passed him into town. For a moment the silver haired boy sensed darkness coming from the old man.

"Judge Frollo!" A captain of the guards wearing gold plated armor carrying a sword approached the judge.

"Captain Phoebus, what a pleasant surprise to see you here after the war." Frollo said.

"There are monsters in the city, they'll ruin the festival!" Phoebus told him.

"Monsters?" Frollo questioned and then became enraged. "It must be those foul Gypsies!" He growled.

"Surely the Gypsies wouldn't be able to make monsters appear out of thin air…" Phoebus said with a frown.

"Are you questioning my authority captain?" Frollo glared.

"No… of course not…" Phoebus hesitated to argue and went along with the judge.

"He's definitely got darkness inside his heart…" Riku said with a frown. He looked at his Dream Eater. "What do you say we try to find him and put a stop to him?"

Komory Bat screeched with his owner's decision.

"I just wish I knew where he was headed." Riku looked around the cathedral. There was no one in sight. "Hello?!" The boy hoped someone would hear him. "Is anyone here?"

Quasimodo heard Riku's voice and quietly approached him. "W-Who are you?" He asked meekly.

Riku turned around seeing the hunch back. "I'm Riku."

"M-My name is Quasimodo," Quasimodo replied nervously as Riku walked over to him. "I'm very sorry but he Archdeacon is away." He told the boy wanting to be left alone he turned away.

"Actually I'm looking for somebody named Frollo." Riku said.

"My Master?" Quasimodo asked. "He said he had business in the Town Square, to attend the Festival of Fools."

"Do you mean know him?" Riku asked.

"Oh yes," Quasimodo answered with a small smile. "He…he's very kind. Master Frollo saved my life. He protects me from the outside world."

Riku frowned a little at Quasimodo's words. "He protects you from it?"

Quasimodo looked at his abnormal large hands and disfigured body shape. "The people out there would be cruel to me…," He hid his face in his hands. "I'm a monster after all…"

The frown on Riku's face grew slightly bigger. "Is that what Frollo told you?" He asked.

Quasimodo gave a small nod.

"Looks like to me your 'master' isn't taking good care of you at all," Riku told him. "Trust me, looks can be deceiving. " Riku remembered how Kairi had helped him and saw that it was really him even when he was still in Ansem Seeker of Darkenss' body. " A good friend sees you for who you are no matter what face you wear." He smiled at Quasimodo. "You should go out there, find some friends who understand you."

Quasimodo shook his head. "Oh no…," The hunch back trembled. "My Master forbids me to go outside."

"Are you sure that's what stopping you?" Riku asked. "I think there's something else stopping you," He told him. "Ask your heart Quasimodo…"

"I…I don't want to be cooped in here forever," Quasimodo replied. "Like Levina said, I should go to the festival, it's what I really want."

"Levina?" Riku said his friend's name. "You know her?"

"Yes," Quasimodo replied with a smile. "She told me I should go to the festival. It's what my heart really wants."

Riku smiled. "Then you should listen to her and your heart," He told him. "I'll check the Town Square for Frollo."

Quasimodo nodded running back up to the bell tower to wear a disguise for the festival.

Riku smiled turning to the exit of the cathedral, the advice he had given Quasimodo was something he needed to do also. To follow his heart. He sighed a little, "Wish I could take my own advice…"

* * *

Sora wandered the streets of Notre Dame with Meow Wow by his side. He smiled at all the people rushing to the Town Square for the festival.

"Looks like there's some kind of festival here." Sora smiled. He then saw Frollo walking passed him.

The judge sneered at the boy in disgust and Sora shrugged it off as he walked away.

"Stop." The judge ordered.

Meow Wow cowered behind Sora as he heard Frollo speak.

Sora stopped and turned around looking at the judge. "Who me?" He asked.

"I've never seen you here before, boy." Frollo said. "What is your name?"

Sora folded his arms behind his head. '_Is that all he wants to know?_' He thought with a smile. "I'm Sora!"

Frollo looked appalled at Sora's energetic and happy nature. He stared at his clothes and scowled. "Such disgusting attire," He said. "I know what you are."

"Judge Frollo!" Phoebus approached the old judge. "Sir…about the monsters…"

"In a moment Captain, I am interrogating this Gypsy." Frollo said leering down at Sora.

Phoebus looked at Sora. "This kid here?" He asked. "But sir, he's just a boy."

"I shall be the judge of that." Frollo replied.

Phoebus hesitated a little at Frollo's words.

"Now Captain did you have something to report to me?" Frollo asked.

"Monsters at the Town Square." Phoebus answered.

"Monsters!" Sora yelled making his keyblade appear. "I'll take care of it!" He told them running forward.

"Hey wait!" Phoebus told Sora. "It's not safe!" He urged following the boy.

* * *

Levina landed in the middle of the Town Square where the Festival of Fools was starting. To her horror she saw that there were Nightmare Dream Eaters running around. The townspeople thought it was just part of the act of the Gypsies that were giving this show.

"Oh no!" Levina made her keyblade appear swinging her keyblade at the various Dream Eaters that instantly turned on her once she showed up with her keyblade.

"Thanks for the help kid." A woman said getting up on stage. The woman's long black hair cascaded down to her waist as she wore a red dress that would turn every man's head in town.

Levina's brown eyes shined as she saw the woman dance and then frowned seeing more Nightmare Dream Eaters appear on stage.

Flowbermeow barked urgently.

"I know, I know." Levina said jumping up on stage striking down the Nightmare Dream Eaters.

"I could use you for this act." The woman said cheekily winking. "That weapon you have seems to be the only thing fighting against these monsters that keep popping up," She smiled at Levina. "I'm Esmerelda."

Levina smiled. "My name's Levina…," She staggered as Esmerelda took her hand. "Wait a second…I don't know the first thing about your act…!"

"Just follow my lead." Esmerelda told her.

Levina nodded as she watched Esmerelda's hips sway back and forth enticing the majority of the male audience. The girl turned pink following Esmerelda's lead swinging her keyblade down at Nightmares as they continued to pop up and appear. Unaware to her, Riku was in the crowd watching her.

"Is that…Levina?" Riku gasped pushing passed the crowd trying to get a better view.

Frollo watched Esmerelda dance completely hpytonised and enticed by her movements. He scowled bitterly looking at Phoebus who was by his side. "Look at that disgusting display."

Eager to watch Phoebus replied with great glee, "Yes sir!"

Levina watched as Esmerelda sauntering over to Frollo who was sneering in disgust at the Gypsy's dancing.

The Gypsy leaped into Frollo's seat teasing him with a purple sash embroider with stars and moons. The moment the old man got close to the Gypsy she slapped his hat into his face leaping out of the seat doing several cartwheels on stage. She grabbed one of the knight's spears that was watching and used it as a pole to spin around it.

Quasimodo was amongst the crowd. He couldn't take his eyes off Esmerelda.

Levina continued to attack the Nightmare Dream Eaters with her keyblade. She spun around on stage raising her keyblade. "Light!" She cried making small sparks of light at the Nightmare Dream Eaters which exploded on contact.

Seeing Riku, Flowbermeow barked wagging her tail.

Levina looked over. "Riku?" She called to him.

Riku stuttered a little embarrassed and confused by what he had just seen.

Komory Bat screeched.

"W-What?" Riku asked defensively. "She was the one dancing like that not me…" For a moment he thought of Kairi. _'I wonder if Kairi could dance like that_,' He thought with a small smile. He still had feelings for her, but he wouldn't want to ruin what she and Sora have together. He looked at the bat. "Come on partner, let's go." He told him racing through the crowd. He wouldn't be able to explain to Levina what he was feeling when he saw her like that.

"Riku!" Levina yelled jumping off the stage as a giant Elephant Dream Eater appeared on stage. "Wait!" She raced after him trying to get passed the crowd.

The townspeople of Notre Dame cheered at the Nightmare Dream Eater, they all thought this was part of the act.

"Now we call crown the King of Fools," Clopin a gypsy puppeteer announced. "Who here has the most hideous of faces! That's how we crown the King of Fools!" Looking into the crowd the puppeteer saw Quasimodo. "You there!" He said. "That mask you have on is so grotesque! We have a King of Fools!" He grabbed the friendly hunch back lifting him up on the Elephant Dream Eater. "Your chariot awaits good king!"

The crowd cheered for their Festival of Fools king. Quasimodo had no idea what was going on, but for the first time he felt accepted and loved by the people of Notre Dame.

* * *

Sora raced over to the festival. "I knew it was Dream Eaters!" He rushed over with his keyblade in hand. He gasped in surprise when he saw Quasimodo on top of the Nightmare Dream Eater. "What are you doing?!" He asked in disbelief. "You need to run!"

Quasimodo looked at Sora. "Oh no..," He replied. "I couldn't. Today's the festival and I'm the King of Fools."

Frollo took notice seeing Quasimodo and glared. '_That wretched urchin! How dare he defy my orders!?_' He thought feeding off the darkness inside his heart. The Zolephant Nightmare Dream Eater knocked Quasimodo off reacting to Frollo's darkness. Its red eyes glowed causing the crowd to back away from the stage.

"Why doesn't anything go my way…" Quasimodo frowned getting up.

Clopin helped Quasimodo up. "Now let's see whose behind that hideous mask!" He said trying to pull on Quasimodo's face. He gasped in horror realizing that his face wasn't a mask, that it was real.

"He's hideous!" Cried someone from the crowd.

In an instant the entire town people of Notre Dame turned on Quasimodo.

"Stop!" Sora yelled trying to help Quasimodo and fight off the Nightmare Dream Eaters that were feeding off of the people's anger towards him. "You can't treat him like this – Ah!" Sora fell over as someone threw a tomato at the back of his head.

Meow Wow rushed over whining hoping that Sora was alright.

"I'm alright…" Sora groaned wiping the tomato off his head. He looked up seeing the guards throwing rope around Quasimodo and using him as a target for the crowd to throw anything they had at him.

Sora leaped up on stage trying to stop the crowd from hurting Quasimodo.

"Master!" Quasimodo cried for Frollo. "Master please help me!"

Phoebus looked at Frollo. "Permission to stop this sir?"

"In a moment captain," Frollo replied. "A lesson must be learned here." He watched as the crowd continued throwing things at Quasimodo because of how different he looked that he wasn't normal. The crowd was laughing and teasing him.

Sora balled his fists. He had enough. "No one deserves to be treated like this!" He raised his keyblade breaking the ropes that bound a defeated Quasimodo.

"Hey you little kid! Get off the stage!" Someone from the crowd yelled.

Sora stood his ground holding his keyblade tighter as the Nightmare Dream Eaters targeted him. He leaped at the Nightmare Dream Eaters knocking things over as he fought them.

Esmerelda walked up to Quasimodo. She kneeled next to the battered hunch back while Sora fought off the Dream Eaters.

"Don't be afraid…," Esmerelda said soothingly tagging a rag wiping the splotches of tomatoes from his face.

Quasimodo flinched at Esmerelda's touch at first, but relaxed a little seeing how gentle she was with him.

"I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen." Esmerelda told him.

"You! Gypsy girl!" Frollo's voice boomed. "Get down from there at once!" He snarled.

"Yes, your honor," Esmerelda replied. "Just as soon as help this poor young man."

"I forbid it!" Frollo yelled.

Ignoring Frollo completely, Esmerelda took out a small dagger cutting the rest of Quasimodo's ropes.

"How dare you defy me?!" Frollo scowled.

"You mistreat this poor boy, the same way you mistreat my people!" Esmerelda spat at him.

Sora looked over making his keyblade disappear since he was able to defeat the Dream Eaters that were causing trouble.

"You speak of justice, but yet you are cruel to those in need of help!" Esemerelda said.

"Silence!" Frollo screamed.

"Justice!" Esmerelda raised her voice walking up to Quasimodo.

Sora rushed over taking Quasimdoo's other arm to help him stand.

Frollo became more enraged at Esmerelda's defiance. "Mark my words gypsy," He threatened. "You will pay for your insolence!"

Esmerelda mockingly bowed to him. "Then it appears as though we've crowned the wrong fool," She jeered removing the crown from Quasimodo's head. "The only fool I see is you!" She told him throwing the crown in front of the judge.

The judge wasn't going to take this anymore. He looked at Phoebus. "Captain Phoebus! Arrest her!" He ordered.

Sora readied his keyblade once more as guards cornered the stage. "You should run!" He told her.

"Relax kid, I can handle this." Esmerelda replied winking at the boy. She looked at the guards counting them. "Let's see there are ten of you and only one of me…" She said in mock concern. "What's a girl like me to do?" She threw her sash on the ground using a little of her Gypsy smoke to escape.

"Whoa…" Sora gasped. "She disappeared." He said in awe.

"This way…" Quasimodo led Sora away from the crowd because he knew that Frollo would be after Sora too since he helped him. The hunch back led Sora into the cathedral.

Frollo glared watching Esmerelda outwit the guards to escape. "Find them Captain!" He ordered. "I want that child and the Gypsy girl alive!"

Vanitas watched from a top the cathedral. He had seen everything that had happened. He smirked. The negative feeling refreshed his defeated form. It was from all the negativity that was brought on by the crowd and Frollo's darkness He almost felt whole again, like he could feel his body again. "Too bad you aren't here to help your little friend, Ventus." He grinned. Just thought of hearing Levina scream in agony brought him joy. He had enough power to create a dark corridor. Walking through it he thought plunging this world into darkness would have to wait. All he thought of now was revenge.

* * *

**I am building up to that five second cameo that Vanitas has in Dream Drop Distance. Looks like Levina's gonna have one hell of a fight on her hands in the next chapter. I still say Vanitas and Replica Riku would be awesome evil besties! **

**:D Review. **


	5. Hellfire

**This is going to one hell of a long chapter guys. **

**Just to let you know, I probably won't be able to update one day a week anymore. I'm gonna be doing my Masters Degree online, so that's going to keep me busy for a while. I'll try my best to update once a week, but I can't guarantee it. **

**Also I apologize if some of the parts seem a little rushed, especially the action scenes. I was just really anxious to get this chapter up. **

**Enjoy the chapter :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 5: Hellfire

Yen Sid mediated in his chair keeping a watch on the three keyblade wielders who were taking the Mark of Mastery exam.

"Gosh Master Yen Sid, do you think they'll be able to do it?" Mickey asked.

"Sora, Riku, and Levina were chosen by their respected keyblades for a reason Mickey," The wise former keyblade master said. "I have no doubt in mind that they will pass this test."

"I sure hope so." Goofy said.

"Shhh!" Donald hissed.

"What for?" Goofy asked.

"She's sleeping." Hiko told the dog pointing to Lira who was asleep on the floor. For some reason all this waiting made her extremely exhausted and tired.

"Gawrsh is Lira sick?" Goofy asked. "I never saw her sleep like this before."

"I think all this waiting is tiring her out." Donald assumed.

"A-Axel…" Lira mumbled in her sleep. "Axel…don't go…" She moaned as if she could feel the red head right next to him as she slept.

Hearing Axel's name, Mickey, Donald and Goofy lowered their heads.

"Who's Axel?" Hiko asked.

"A friend…" Mickey answered quietly.

"He and Lira were really close." Donald added.

"Yeah they really cared about each other a lot." Goofy told the boy.

"If this Axel guy is so important to Lira why don't you just bring him here?" Hiko suggested not realizing that Axel had died.

"We can't…" Mickey frowned. "He died trying protect Lira and our friends…" The small king sighed. "We've lost a lot of good people in this fight against the darkness." He looked at Sora, Riku, and Levina. "I just hope they're up to the task that's been given to them.

* * *

Esmerelda crept into the cathedral as Frollo, Phoebus and his men searched for her. She stared at the safe haven she was standing on.

Sora was behind her with Meow Wow by his side. "This place looks safe enough." He said with a smile.

Esmerelda swiftly turned around grabbing a sword from one of the statues knocking the boy over.

"Ow!" Sora fell over with a thud.

"Oh it's just you." Esmerelda sighed in relief.

"Sorry if I scared you…" Sora replied getting up. "But Quasimodo led me in here." He looked around wondering where the hunch back was. "I wonder where he is?" Sora frowned a little as Esmerelda kept glaring. "Uh… did I do something?" He asked.

The Gypsy turned around knocking Phoebus to his feet. "Get out of here kid." She told Sora.

"R-Right…" Sora stammered running through the cathedral looking for Quasimodo.

Esmerelda kept her glare at Phoebus who was struggling to get up keeping her sword at his face.

Jokingly the Captain of the Guards said, "I-I just shaved this morning."

Esmerelda sneered. "Oh really you missed a spot!"

"J-Just calm down…give me a chance to apologize." Phoebus told her.

"For what?" Esmerelda kept a tight grip on the sword.

Phoebus knocked the sword out of her hand catching it in his own. "For that." He said cheekily.

Esmerelda glared. "You sneaky son of –"

"Careful…," Phoebus teased. "You're in a church."

"Are you always this charming?" Esmerelda taunted grabbing a candle holder nearby. "Or am I just lucky?" She swung the large candle holder at the knight.

Phoebus blocked with his sword parrying and matching her move for move. "You almost fight as a good as a man."

"Funny, I going to say the same thing about you!" Esemeralda shoved Phoebus into the wall.

"Esmerelda!" Sora rushed over with his keyblade in hand.

"Didn't know you had a kid." Phoebus retorted.

"He's not mine." Esmerelda rolled her eyes.

Sora held his keyblade tight in his hands. "Leave her alone!"

Phoebus lowered his sword. "I guess I got off on the wrong foot, I'm Phoebus," He introduced himself. Trying to impress Esmerelda he then said," It means sun god."

Not impressed Esmerelda put down the candle holder.

"And you are…?" Phoebus asked.

"I'm Sora!" Sora beamed holding up Meow Wow. "This is Meow Wow." He said energetically.

"I wasn't asking you kid." Phoebus replied and looked at Esmerelda.

"Is this an interrogation?" Esmerelda asked.

"It's an introduction." Phoebus answered.

"You're not going to arrest me?" The Gypsy asked.

"Not as long as you're in here." Phoebus replied. "I can't."

"So if you aren't going to arrest me, what do you want?" Esmerelda asked.

"I'd settle for your name." Phoebus replied charmingly.

"Esmerelda…" The Gypsy said.

Sora smiled at the two seeing how they had fallen for each other. The cathedral doors suddenly opened revealing Frollo and other guards.

"Good work, Captain." Frollo commended the knight. "Arrest them."

Sora readied his keyblade to take down the guards while Esmerelda glared at Phoebus.

"You tricked me!" She snarled.

"I'm waiting Captain." Frollo stalked over to them.

Sora glared at Frollo holding his keyblade tighter. Meow Wow growled at the judge sensing the darkness he had.

"Claim sanctuary." Phoebus told them.

"Sanctuary?" Sora repeated not realizing claiming sanctuary inside the church meant that Frollo could not touch them.

Phoebus turned around looking at Frollo. "I'm sorry sir, they claim sanctuary, there's nothing I can do."

"Then drag them out and arrest them there!" Frollo snarled.

The Arch Deacon walked over. "Frollo!" He yelled. "You will not touch them!" He looked at Sora and Esmerelda. "Do not worry, Minister Frollo learned years ago to abide and respect the sanctity of the church."

"Well that's a relief." Sora said making his keyblade disappeared. He watched as Frollo walked off along with Phoebus. '_I wonder if Quasimodo's here too.'_ He thought. He looked at Esmerelda, "Do you think Quasimodo's ok?"

"Probably not, "She said. "Society doesn't take kindly to outcasts like us." Esmerelda smiled at the boy. "Maybe there's someone out there who can help outcasts like us." She said.

Sora folded his arms behind his head. "Well that's what I came here to do." He smiled cheerfully. "I like helping people."

Quasimodo was nearby watching Esmerelda. He too had fallen for her. The deformed hunch back stumbled as he heard someone outrageous scream.

"Quasimodo!" Sora yelled.

Quasimodo backed away running up to the bell tower.

"Wait!" Esmerelda followed.

Sora followed Esmerelda which led to the bell tower. "We just want to talk to you!" He yelled.

* * *

Levina looked around the town square. "I know I saw Riku in the crowd," She sighed a little. "I wonder why ran off like that." She looked down at her palm staring at her mother's papou necklace she found back in Traverse Town.

"Why would a Dream Eater have my mom's necklace?" She wondered.

Flowbermeow tilted her head curiously staring at the necklace.

Levina smiled down at her. "This necklace belonged to my mom," She told her. "It was a present…," Her voice trailed off a little remembering who gave it to her. "From Xehanort…" She squeezed her fist a little. "They were so in love…I think they were supposed to get married."

Flowbermeow made a small yelp and bounced up and down.

Levina's fingers tightly clasped around the necklace. "Why would mom choose someone like Xehanort to spend the rest of life with?" She thought out loud staring at the necklace in her hand. "Maybe there was some light inside him before the darkness corrupted his heart."

Flowbermeow gave a sudden whimper as she saw someone leap down from high atop of the Notre Dame cathedral. A keyblade in close range of striking her down.

"What?" Levina leaped back making her keyblade appear in her hand. Her mouth was open in shock as she saw Vanitas. "No…it can't be…"

Flowbermeow ran to Levina's side barking at darker half of Ven.

Vanitas grinned. "You seem surprised." He said coyly holding up his hand, dangling the chain of Liora's papou necklace between his fingers. "Thought you'd see the last of me?"

"Give that back!" Levina snarled blindly rushing at him with her keyblade.

"You're just as careless as Ventus." Vanitas said disappearing and reappearing behind her kicking her into the ground.

Levina toppled into the ground with her hand still on the handle of her keyblade.

Flowbermeow whined in concern running over to Levina. She licked the girl's cheek wondering if she was alright. The pink dream eater was suddenly tackled by a black pudgy Nightmare Dream Eater. The top half of its body is black, and the bottom is pink. It has white bands wrapping around its legs with purple paws, and the Nightmare Emblem is located on its chest. The spots are purple in color, as are the tips of its ears. It has red round pupils and a mint green tongue, as well as white muzzle and pale blue horn on its forehead and lastly possesses a white tail and a black nose. This was Meow Wow's counterpart nightmare dream eater.

Nightmare Meow Wow ferociously growled at the friendly pink dream eater.

"F-Flowbermeow!" Levina yelled getting to her feet.

Flowbermeow tumbled as Nightmare Meow Wow tackled her gnawing at her pink fur with its teeth.

"Stop it!" Levina breathed out. "Leave her alone!"

"You should start worrying about yourself." Vanitas sneered launching fireballs at her.

"_Freeze_!" Levina cried casting blizzara on the fireballs making them melt.

"Looks like you've learned a few new tricks," Vanitas retorted not impressed. "That little dance number you did was fun to watch."

Levina felt disgusted that he had seen her dance on stage.

"If Ventus was here, I'm sure he would been so happy." Vanitas scowled at the word happy tightly holding onto the necklace.

"You don't deserve to say his name!" Levina glared holding her keyblade.

Vanitas laughed cruelly. "Give me a break, you think I don't know what he felt for you!" He became angrier. "I hated that feeling that was inside his heart!" He glared at Levina. "That warm light inside his heart is what made him stronger than me!" He raised his Void Gear keyblade. "This time I'll make that light of his fades away for good!"

"The Gypsy is in the cathedral!" Yelled a guard.

Levina heard the yells of the guards.

Vanitas twitched angrily as he saw guards approaching the cathedral. He didn't have enough power to take on more than one person. He looked at Levina. "I can see through your heart too, you know." He grinned creating a dark corridor. "Let's see how brave you are to get this stupid little necklace back." He held it up taunting her with it.

Nightmare Meow Wow jumped off Flowbermeow, who whimpered in pain, she had several claw and teeth marks on her body.

"Flowbermeow!" Levina ran over to her Dream Eater picking her up casting cura with her keyblade. She hugged the dream eater and stared at the empty dark abyss in front of her. "The darkness… doesn't scare me…" She bravely ran through dark corridor as it closed.

The guards ran into cathedral in search of Esmerelda. None of the guards noticed Young Xehanort whom had been watching what was going on between Vanitas and Levina.

"She's braver than I expected." Young Xehanort said with a calm smile.

"To step into the darkness without being afraid is the first step." Ansem Seeker of Darkness said with a cruel grin. "I have already seen it through Riku." The Heartless of Xehanort was more curious though about Vanitas. "That boy is no ordinary keyblade wielder."

"No he is not." Young Xehanort replied. "A heart completely devoid of light, the transformation has already begun. All he needs is now is a new body."

* * *

Sora looked around the bell tower seeing all the trinkets and dolls Quasimodo had made of the townspeople. He smiled at all the bells in the tower.

"Whoa…" Sora gasped in awe.

Meow Wow's chubby form squeezed through two adjacent bells causing them to ring which frightened the Dream Eater. He yelped running to Sora barking at the bells.

"Hey don't worry; those bells aren't going to hurt you." Sora told his companion.

"There you are." Esmerelda said as she walked over to Quasimodo.

"Y-Yes…I…" The hunch back stammered. "I-It was nice seeing you again…" He wanted to run away but Sora was standing right behind him.

"Why are you so afraid of us?" Sora asked. He looked at the trinkets Quasimodo worked so hard on making. "Did you make all these?"

Quasimodo nodded. "Yes…," He said shyly.

"These are beautiful," Esmerelda told him. "If I could do this you wouldn't see me dancing for coins."

"But you're a wonderful dancer." Quasimodo complimented her.

"Well it keeps bread on the table anyway." Esmerelda replied with a gentle smile. She handed Quasimodo a special talisman, it was almost like a map of the city.

"What's this big bell?" Sora asked climbing to see all the bells in the tower. "Wow I didn't know there so many bells up here."

"That one is big Marie," Quasimodo answered.

Esmerelda followed Sora spinning around the bell tower. "Hellooo!" Her voice echoed through the bells.

Quasimodo smiled at her. "Looks like she likes you." He said with a smile.

Meow Wow ducked underneath an old rug not liking the noise.

"Looks like Quasi is gonna be just fine." Sora smiled.

"Indisputably." Victor said.

"Our kid sure is tough." Hugo said coming to life.

"We may be made of stone, but he's got a strong heart." Larvene said.

"I know…" Sora smiled and then realized he was talking to inanimate stone gargoyles. "Whoa!" He nearly jumped. "Y-You can talk!?"

"Excuse us for having personality." Larvene told him.

While Sora was getting reacquainted with the gargoyles, Quasimodo was getting closer to Esmerelda.

"You could stay here forever." Quasimodo told her.

"No I couldn't…" Esmerelda said with a small sigh.

"You have sanctuary here." Quasimodo replied.

"But not freedom, "Esmerelda told him. "Gypsies don't do well inside stone walls."

Quasimodo looked at her in concern. "You helped me," He said. "Now I will help you."

"But there's no way out," Esmerelda protested looking down at the city below. "There are soldiers at every door."

"We won't use a door," Quasimodo said to her. He picked her up in his arms. "It's alright you can trust me."

Sora watched as Quasimodo carried Esmerelda from outside the bell tower leaping across ledges and platforms to get her to safety. Meow Wow came out from under the rug he was hiding in walking over to Sora. The boy looked at the gargoyles. "So how come you guys are so close with Quasimodo?"

"We've been friends for years." Larvene told him.

"More than a decade of commodore." Victor added.

"We're with him twenty four hours a day." Hugo said.

"He never leaves?" Sora asked in surprise.

"He's not allowed to leave," Larvene answered. "Judge Frollo forbids it."

"That judge seems to control a lot around here," Sora frowned. "Why won't he let Quasi leave?"

"Frollo thinks he can keep our boy Quasi safe by keeping him sheltered up here." Victor told him.

"Sheltered? More like imprisoned," Sora looked at the gargoyles. "He can't let his heart be a prison," He looked at Meow Wow. "Come on Meow Wow, we gotta talk some sense into Quasimodo!"

Meow Wow barked in agreement.

Sora rushed out of the cathedral with Meow Wow following.

* * *

Riku rushed through the edge of town. Komory Bat flapped his wings wondering how far Riku was going to run.

"Sorry about that," Riku caught his breath. "I don't have a reason to run anymore huh?" He realized how far he had been running almost reaching the outskirts of town. He then saw a colorful nightmare Dream Eater in the shape of a gargoyle. Its body is mostly dark purple in color, with its ears and feet ending with a brighter purple. Its face is marked by a yellow jaw and red cheeks. Its gun arms are bright shades of blue with purple and yellow highlights, and they are wrapped in magenta chains. It has a whip-like tail of rainbow stripes, which ends in a semicircular blade that has a hollow section which formed Mickey ears. It has wings that resemble the beautiful stained-glass windows of Notre Dame. The Nightmare Dream Eater sigil is on the front of colorful, belt-like bands around its waist.

"A Dream Eater…" Riku gaped at the size of the creature. "A big one…"

Komory Bat screeched at the giant dream eater began firing canons from its mounted guns on its arms.

"Like this is fair…" Riku groaned annoyed and ran down the bridge heading towards a small house that was being interrogated by Frollo and Phoebus.

"I heard you have been harboring Gypsies!" Frollo sneered.

The owner of the house was on his knees begging for Frollo's mercy.

"I am placing you and the rest of your family under house arrest," Frollo told him. "If you say what is true then you are innocent and you are innocent."

"But we are innocent!" The man replied. "I assure you we know nothing of these Gypsies!"

Frollo walked out of the house closing the door behind him barricading the door with a spear. He turned to Phoebus. "Burn it."

"What?!" Phoebus gasped out raged.

"These people must be judged by the fires of the lies that have consumed their hearts." Frollo said.

"With all due respect sir, I wasn't trained to murder the innocent." Phoebus said.

"But you were trained to follow orders!" Frollo spat back. The darkness inside his heart growing stronger.

Phoebus looked at the lit torch he had in his hand. He didn't want to harm these people. They had done nothing. He doused the fire in a nearby bucket full of water.

Frollo scowled. "Insolent coward!" He grabbed another torch and burned down the house.

Riku rushed forward watching the house burn down. His sea-green eyes have seen horrible things in the past before, he had done horrible things with the power of darkness, but nothing this cruel. It almost made his stomach churn as he heard the cries of screaming people inside the home.

Komory Bat screeched in distress as he saw a pillar of wood about to fall on Riku.

Riku dived out of the way and saw Phoebus rush into save the innocent family that was trapped inside.

Frollo looked disgusted as he saw Phoebus rush out with the family safe from harm.

Riku looked over glaring at the old judge. He then saw the colossal gargoyle flying towards them.

"What demon is this?!" Phoebus gasped.

"Oh you are mistaken Captain Phoebus," Frollo said. "This is no demon," He told the captain of the guards as darkness took over his body. "It is righteous judgment. I have been granted this power so that I may smite all Gypsies now and forever!"

"This is all wrong!" Phoebus said.

Riku saw all the darkness that was emanating from Frollo's body. "He's not going to listen," He told Phoebus. "Once you fall in that far into the darkness, there's no coming back."

Frollo cackled as the Wargoyle dream eater lunged at them. "I will find the Court of Miracles if I have to burn down all of Paris!"

"Look out!" Riku yelled.

Phoebus stepped in front of Riku holding his sword. "No you don't!" He yelled and fell back as the gargoyle nosedived smacking the knight into the ground.

"Are you alright?" Riku rushed over making sure the captain didn't need to be healed.

"Well you did warn me…" Phoebus groaned.

"You should take it easy," Riku said to him. "I'll deal with Frollo."

"Thanks…" Phoebus replied. "I gotta say this is embarrassing having to rely on a kid." He looked at the boy. "But then again you look more capable than I do right now." He saw the Dream Eater heading to the cathedral. "It looks like the creature is heading for the cathedral in town."

Phoebus removed his armor as he got back up. All he had now was a simple white tunic and pants. "No point in wearing this anymore, consider it my resignation." He said slowly getting up. "That kid's gonna need my help." He got on his horse and raced towards the cathedral.

* * *

Quasimodo had returned after helping Esmerelda escape the cathedral.

"Hurry up Quasi!" Larvene warned him. "Frollo's coming!"

Quasimodo gasped in distress trying to look busy as if he never left the bell tower. If Frollo knew where he was he would be punished severely. He was already in enough trouble for interrupting the Festival of Fools.

"M-Master…"Quasimdoo stammered. "I didn't expect to see you."

"I'm never busy to share a meal with you dear boy." Frollo replied. "I brought a little treat for you." The judge took out a vine of grapes. He looked at the boy sneering at him.

Quasimodo jumped realizing that he hadn't place any bowls or plates in front of his Master. He quickly rushed over to a cupboard, nervously breaking a lot of the pottery and other things that he kept.

"Is something troubling you dear boy?" Frollo asked.

"N-No Master…" Quasimodo answered nervously.

Frollo grinned. "Oh, but there is," he smirked. "I know there is." He watched Quasimodo's movements as the hunch back picked up a grape off the floor. "I think you are hiding something from me."

"Oh no, no Master that would be wrong…" Quasimodo replied.

Frollo looked around the small bell tower. "Something is different here." He declared and saw a small doll which Quasimodo was working on earlier when he returned to the bell tower after the festival. He picked up the doll in his hand, the darkness inside his heart growing. "Isn't this one new?"

Quasimodo said nothing.

"It looks very much like the gypsy girl," Frollo said calmly and he raised his voice. "I know you helped her escape!" He yelled throwing the doll on the ground which broke. "All of Paris is burning because of you!"

Quasimodo backed away from Frollo terrified seeing the horrible dark aura surround him. His heart had completely been tainted by the darkness and it was growing stronger each time his emotions heightened.

"She was kind to me Master…" Quasimodo said quietly.

"You idiot!" Frollo raged releasing pure darkness from his fingers destroying all the different dolls that Quasimodo made while being in the bell tower. "That wasn't kindness! That was cunning!" He grabbed the hunch back by his tunic. "Gypsies aren't capable of love! Think boy!" He shook him. "Think of your mother!" He screamed allowing the darkness to take hold of him and then calmly released him. "But what could a deformed boy like you comprehend the heathen ways of that Gypsy witch," Taking out his sword he jabbed the Esmerelda doll that was on the floor. "I will free you of her evil spell dear boy. She will torment you no longer."

"What do you mean?" Quasimodo asked nervously.

"I know where her hideout is." Frollo simply replied. "I will attack with those creatures that have invaded our city."

Sora raced out of the cathedral he saw Phoebus. "I know you!" He yelled at former captain of the guards. "You're with Frollo!" He was ready to make his keyblad appear.

Meow Wow growled at Phoebus.

"Whoa take it easy," Phoebus told him. "I'm not looking for a fight."

"Huh?" Sora asked. "You're the one who wanted to arrest me!" He yelled.

"Is Esmerelda still safe in the cathedral?" Phoebus asked.

"Yeah Quasimodo helped her escape." Sora answered.

Phoebus almost seemed disappointed at this. They didn't realize that Quasimodo was standing there after his interrogation with Frollo. The Court of Miracles. It was a place where Gypsies kept their treasures from the outside world.

"What's the matter?" Sora asked.

"It's Judge Frollo," Phoebus answered. "He's obsessed with hunting down the Gypsies, to tell you the truth, I think he's just obsessed with her and his mind is in a dark place. I rejected his barbarous actions. So I decided to resign from the guard even though he would have banished me from my post anyway."

"That's not fair!" Sora objected.

"The Court of Miracles is where the Gypsies hide," Phoebus said. "We have to find Esmerelda. There's a horrible rumor going around in the city saying that half of them have already been killed. Not by Judge Frollo, but by another person. He sort of looks like you that's what the people have said anyway."

"Like me?" Sora asked confused wondering if they were talking about Roxas. '_But that's impossible…Roxas rests inside my heart…_' He thought. '_Who else could be here that looks like me.' _

Quasimodo walked up to them. He had the talisman that Esmerelda have to him in his hand.

"Quasimodo!" Sora yelled. "Esmerelda's in trouble!"

"I know…," Quasimodo said urgently. "My Master knows where the Court of Miracles is." He held out the talisman to them. "This might be the key to finding where the Gypsies hide.

Sora, Phoebus and Quasimodo reached the Court of Miracles. They frowned seeing signs of a fight and wondered if they were too late.

"Quasimodo!" Esmerelda rushed over seeing them. "What are you doing here?"

"Phoebus, Sora, and I came to warn you," Quasimodo urged her. "Frollo's on his way."

"Take what you can and leave!" Phoebus told her.

"Well done Captain Phoebus." Frollo's voice echoed from behind them. He summoned hoards of Dream Eaters to his call. "Thankfully you are as predictable as I had hoped." He walked towards Quasimodo treating him like an innocent animal who had done no wrong. "Dear Quasimodo, I always knew you would someday be of use to me." He then stalked over to Esmerelda, again hypnotized by her beauty, her fear accentuated her beauty. He grinned maliciously. "I have you now, you Gysy witch!" He grabbed her arm twisting her wrist behind her back. Taking the opportunity, the old judge sniffed her long black hair.

Sora looked disgusted.

"What are you doing?" Esmerelda demanded.

"I was simply imagining how wonderful it would be set you on fire." Frollo said.

Esemerelda glared. "I know what you were imagining!" She yelled.

"There will be a bond fire in your honor." Frollo said dragging her away.

"Frollo you won't get away with this!" Sora charged forward with his keyblade in hand, but darkness in Frollo's heart that had taken hold of him surfaced.

"What the…?" Sora stopped. "Darkness…" He was suddenly knocked back by the power of darkness Frollo had.

Meow Wow whined as he saw Sora fall hard onto the ground hitting his head.

Sora tried to get up as he saw guards rush in taking Quasimodo and Phoebus away too. "N-No…" He gasped. "I-I have to help them…" He allowed darkness to consume him as he passed out.

Meow Wow rushed over trying to wake Sora up. The Dream Eater licked his face causing Sora to groan. "H-Huh…?" Sora woke up looking at the Dream Eater. "Meow Wow!" He got up. "Where did that darkness come from…" He wondered. "Never mind, come one we gotta get to the town square!"

* * *

"The time has come Gypsy," Frollo said as he watched Esmerelda squirm being tied to a stake. "You stand on the brink of the abyss, yet even now it is not too late," He leered at her. "I can save you flames of this world and the next. Choose me or the fire."

Esmerelda looked at him hate in her eyes. Her answer was spitting in his eye.

Frollo glared at her looking at the crowd who were there to watch her burn. "The Gypsy, Esmerelda has refused to repent."

In the cathedral, Quasimodo was chained to a stone wall. He could hear everything Frollo was saying about Esmerelda. They were all lies and the crowd was buying it.

"Come on Quasi get up!" Larvene urged.

"You gotta help your friends down there!" Victor told him.

"It's hopeless…" Quasimodo said. "It's all my fault."

"Don't give up Quasi!" Sora's voice boomed. He made his keyblade appear and sliced the chains. "You have to help her!"

"Leave me alone…" Quasimodo snarled a little.

"But Quasi…don't you care about Esmerelda?" Sora asked.

Quasimodo said nothing as he heard Frollo speak.

"It is my sacred duty to send this Gypsy into the fiery pits of hell!" Frollo roared setting the stake on fire.

"No!" Quasimodo yelled grabbing a rope off the bell tower and sliding down the cathedral.

"Way to go Quasi!" Sora beamed quickly heading outside to help. He saw Quasimodo slide down to the square, grabbing Esmerelda before Frollo could stop them and then using the rope to climb back up. He held the unconscious woman in his arms holding her up high atop Notre Dame.

"Sanctuary!" Quasimodo yelled.

Seeing this Frollo became enraged and he went into the cathedral to put a stop to this once and for all.

Sora rushed after him but was stopped by the Wargoyle that was harboring Frollo's darkness. "Whoa!" He yelled almost falling back. "How are we supposed to stop this big Dream Eater?"

Meow Wow barked at Sora.

Sora looked at his Dream Eater in confusion. "What? Do you want me to ride you again?" He asked.

Meow Wow nodded and grew larger.

"Alright!" Sora sat on his Dream Eater who began bouncing rapidly on the Wargoyle. The Dream Eater growled in frustration using its tail to knock Sora off Meow Wow. As Sora fell he kicked his feet against the wall holding out his keyblade striking the large Dream Eater. .Meow Wow then barked causing Sora to jump off as the Dream Eater casted Meteor on the nightmare gargoyle finishing it off.

"That should take care of it." Sora rushed inside the cathedral to help Quasimodo.

* * *

Riku rushed into town, seeing everything set in flames it almost disheartened him. He used Komory Bat to fly up to the top of the cathedral. There he saw Quasimodo holding Esmerelda in his arms.

"Is she alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine…" Esmerelda groaned weakly. "Thanks to Quasimodo."

"Where did that Dream Eater go?" Riku wondered about Wargoyle.

"Sora took care of him." Phoebus replied.

Riku smiled a little. "Yeah, Sora would do that." He said.

"There you are, you filthy vermin!" Frollo seethed taking out his sword. "I command the powers of darkness! Smite those who are against me!"

Riku made his Way to Dawn keyblade appear. "All that darkness in your heart and all I see is a sad old man." He told the judge.

Enraged by Riku's defiance, Frollo attacked using the darkness inside of his heart. Casting dark firaga he threw them at the boy.

Riku swiftly dodged blocking the fireballs with his keyblade. Quasimodo on the other hand wasn't so swift, he wasn't able to dodge the dark fireball thrown by Frollo. The friendly hunch back lost his balance and fell off the cathedral.

"Quasimodo!" Esmerelda grabbed his hand. "Quasi!" She yelled. "Hold on!"

Frollo laughed. "I knew you would risk your life to save that Gypsy witch! Just as your mother died in her pitiful attempt to save you from me!" He raised his sword watching in delight at the city of Paris burning. "Let everything burn! The flames will consume everything!" He wickedly laughed turning to Quasimodo and Esmerelda who was struggling to help him up. "He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit forever!" The old judge raised his sword ready to finish them off.

Riku grabbed Komory Bat transforming his keyblade into a light sword. He charged at the old man knocking him off the cathedral.

"Judgment will be mine!" Frollo laughed falling into the burning city of Paris.

Esmerelda held onto Quasimodo as tight as she could, the hunch back was too heavy for her and she let go.

"No!" Riku yelled trying to grab him, but saw that Phoebus was able to grab onto Quasimodo's tunic. Together they all helped lift Quasimodo back up.

Quasimodo smiled at them. He looked at Phoebus and Esmerelda. "Thank you." He told them. He then noticed that Esmerelda and Phoebus were looking into each other's eyes as if they were deeply in love. The hunch back smiled taking their hands linking them together.

Riku watched smiling a little as the three walked hand in hand. "I know how that feels…" He said quietly. "To be in love with someone when you know you can't have her. It's what led my heart into the darkness, but not anymore."

Riku heard footsteps behind him and he turned around. He gasped in shock seeing it was Ansem Seeker of Darkness. "No way…" He breathed. "You're Ansem." He glared seeing Young Xehanort walk over.

"Your best friend is never far." Young Xehanort taunted.

"So sad," Xehanort's Heartless sneered. "The cost of yielding to the darkness."

Riku glared. He had enough of Asnem's preaching about the darkness. "You could write a book about that!" He growled.

"But I embrace the darkness," Ansem replied with a cold grin. "Unless you hurry up and learn to do same your story will end just like that foolish judge."

"I walk the road to dawn!" Riku declared holding his Way to Dawn keyblade tight.

Young Xehanort was not impressed by Riku's declaration from the darkness. "Still afraid of the dark I see." He told the boy and then disappeared through a corridor of darkness with his Heartless half.

"Wait!" Riku tried going after them, but the corridor had closed. "He thinks I'm afraid of the dark…" He held his keyblade tighter. "No…not while I have this keyblade, it will guide me to the light."

As if on cue a keyhole opened up. He looked at the keyhole and sealed this world's from its sleep. "I know the path my heart walks." He said heading to the next world.

* * *

Levina stumbled as she reappeared from the dark corridor. She found herself in the middle of the Court of Miracles. "What is this place…?"

"Some stupid hideout where Gypsies or whoever hide." Vanitas said with a grin. "Well I shouldn't say Gypsies hide here anymore," His smirk growing. "I obliterated every last one of them when I came to this world."

"What!?" Levina gasped. "You monster!"

"Monster…" Vanitas repeated the word. "That's a new one, better than abomination anyway." He balled his fist holding his Void Gear keyblade.

Levina tightly gripped her Starlight keyblade. "You won't hurt anymore people!" She shouted. "I'll make sure of that!"

Vanitas watched as Levina leaped at him with her keyblade. He easily blocked her keyblade swings every time she attacked. "You're a lot slower than Ventus." He grinned amused. "I wonder what he saw in you."

Levina hatefully glared at the darker half of her best friend whom she had been longing to see. She saw as Vanitas disappeared into the ground for a moment and then rose up firing fireballs at her.

Flowbermeow barked at Levina cowering behind her feet.

"I know, I know." Levina said holding her keyblade. "There has to be a way to put a stop to him."

Flowbermeow barked using her powers to grow larger.

"Flowbermeow…?" Levina gasped in awe.

The tiny pink Dream Eater head butted Vanitas into a wall. Vanitas glared hatefully at the Dream Eater. He whistled for Nightmare Meow Wow to attack, but Levina attacked the Dream Eater knocking it away. She aimed her keyblade at Vanitas and yelled, "Light!" A beam of light shot through her keyblade penetrating Vanitas's armor.

Vanitas howled in pain, the powerful light that shot through his armor seemed to cause him great pain. He dropped the papou necklace that belonged to Levina's mother and gasped for air, "So…this is it…" He said coldly. "This is how… it ends for an abomination like me…"

Levina frowned a little. She almost felt bad for him.

"An abomination with a powerful heart, devoid of the light." Young Xehanort appeared in the room through a dark corridor picking up the papou necklace.

"Give that back!" Levina glared at the man. "That belonged to mother!"

At the mention of Levina's mother, Young Xehanort coyly smirked. "What lies has Eraqus been feeding you?" He asked her.

"What are you talking about?!" Levina yelled. "You don't know anything about my Dad! He taught me that the light never goes out no matter how dark it gets!"

"You use and speak of the light with such high hopes when your origins begin within the darkness." Young Xehanort said to her.

Levina charged at the younger version of Xehanort but he disappeared taking Vanitas's fading body with him. She frowned realizing that she had lost her mother's necklace. "What does he know…" She sighed and then saw a keyhole. "A keyhole…" She raised her keyblade unlocking part of this world from sleep and then set off to the next world.

* * *

Sora rushed into the cathedral and saw Esmerelda and Phoebus walking out the cathedral together hand in hand. He smiled a little having a feeling that his friends were close by helping. He saw Quasimodo and walked over to him.

"Quasimodo you can't your heart be a prison." Sora told him.

"I know," Quasimodo replied. "I blame Frollo for putting walls around my heart. My heart is free now." He said with a smile following Esmerelda and Phoebus. "I'm really ready to see what's out there."

Sora smiled watching the hunch back join his friends. "All that time Quasimodo was trapped in the nightmares Frollo gave him." He said. "I am sure he'll be fine as long as he doesn't let his heart be a prison."

"Hypocrite!" Young Xehanort sneered. "You are the one who has made your heart a prison." He told Sora.

"You again!" Sora glared.

"There are hearts other than your own." As Young Xehanort said this for a brief moment Sora saw Vanitas. "Even if you are not the prisoner." He left through a dark corridor.

'_Who is that…?'_' Sora wondered seeing Vanitas. '_Why does he look like me?'_ He thought touching his heart. He felt his heart ache. Something inside his heart was telling him that seeing Vanitas wasn't an accident. He then saw a keyhole open up and sealed it.

'_My heart's a prison?'_ He thought. '_There are hearts other than my own…_'

* * *

"_Hey, Axel…" Roxas's voice echoed. "You haven't forgotten, right?" _

_A fragmented memory of best friends, Axel and Roxas. They were sitting on top of the Clock Tower of Twilight Town eating sea-salt ice cream. _

"_Hm…?" Axel asked. "What?" _

"_You made us a promise," Roxas said to his best friend. _

"_I did?" Axel asked like he forgot what the promise was. _

"_That you'd always be there to bring us back." He smiled at his friend. "Got it memorized?" _

_Axel grinned as Roxas disappeared from site. He laughed as his friend faded away. "Best friends forever." He smiled. _

Opening his eyes, the memory of his friend faded away. Axel – no Lea slowly staggered as he got up.

"Where…?" Lea mumbled realizing that he wasn't on the Clock Tower anymore. He was on the ground. Near Ansem the Wise's old study room where once Xehanort who was still using Terra's body used to experiment with the Heartless. "What happened to me…?"

"R-Roxas…" Lea groaned getting up. He looked at his reflection through a glass window. "That's me." He turned to the side seeing a few other people on the ground waking up as well. Dilan, Aeleus, Even, and Ienzo, the Somebodies of Xaldin, Lexeaus, Vexen, and Zexion.

"They're here too. We're people again." Lea said as he watched Aeleus being the first to get up from their long awaited sleep. "But only the ones who joined the Organization in this world." He let out a sigh of relief. "I guess Xehanort doesn't count," He thought thinking of Xemnas. He noticed that Xigbar and Saix weren't amongst them. "Where are Braig…and Isa…"

His heart lurched a little. '_Something is definitely wrong,'_ He thought and another memory struck him. A memory of a woman who had helped Sora and Roxas fight his superiors a year ago. A memory that warmed his heart and filled it with a strong light.

"Lira…"

* * *

**Axel is back! Er...well Lea is back! Same thing lol. **

**Ugh Young Xehanort I swear this entire chapter you can replace his dialogue with trololololol xD **

**Review :) **


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